The Scent of Summer
by ShadowThorne
Summary: Life relies on balance; Good and Evil, Life and Death. But even the most essential push and pull of life is controlled by nature, by the cycling of the four seasons. Long ago, that balance was tipped and the summer was lost, leaving the winter and autumn gods cold with loss and Mother Spring to keep life in order. The gods grow restless and a young man is thrown in the middle.
1. Chapter 1

**So I've been sitting on this story for several months now... but I was finally inspired to dig it back out and begin working on it again, so here ya go, yet another new story X'D  
**

**Thank you for bearing with me on my slow updates... I've been in the process of finding a new apartment in a new city, transferring jobs, packing, all that fun stuff, so things are kind of hectic and stressful at the moment. Hopefully that will change after this month though, when I'm finally settled back down~  
**

**Anyway, enjoy!  
**

* * *

Running. That was all that consumed his mind. Just running. He had to run, had to keep moving. His breath fled in harsh pants, his throat dry. His muscles burned and he thought his legs would give out but still he kept running. Decaying roots from the old trees of the forest snagged at his feet, catching his already tattered pants and ripping them further, but it didn't matter. All around him, the shadows were deep and foreboding. They danced with the swaying branches over head and made it impossible to see just how far until he made it clear of the trees, but even the thought of making it back to his village was lost on him. If he didn't keep running _they_ would catch up.

He didn't know where they were but he knew they wouldn't give up so easily, not against something as easily caught as him. Maybe they had already pulled ahead of him. Maybe he was about to run head first into a trap.

His steps faltered, slowing down. His heart pounded in his chest and in his ears. It leapt to his throat and choked him on the air he tried to breathe in. His panting grew to a desperate pace, panic swelling in his mind. He hadn't seen them run around and in front of him. He couldn't see them anywhere, nor hear them. He couldn't even smell them any longer. But they weren't limited the way he was, they weren't human.

What if they weren't real? What if none of it had happened, if it was all in his head?

Eyes widening, he spun a circle to chance a glance behind him where they should have been. Nothing. The forest was quiet, dead. The leaves barely clung to the branches, orange and yellow and dying. Maybe it really had been in his head. Attempting some semblance of calm, he squeezed his eyes shut and bent at the waist, rested his hands against his knees and desperate to just catch his breath. The material was damp and cold under his palms, but that was from a fall during his terrified run.

He breathed deep the heady scent of the forest, of rich soil and wet bark. Timidly, afraid of what he would find, he opened his eyes and peered down at himself. His eyes widened, fear seizing his heart. The front of his shirt was shredded, the once light colored material soaked through and stained with red. Terror made his hands shake as he ran his fingers across the jagged slashes in his chest. They stung and lit fire behind his eyes. His fingers came away wet and dripping with his blood. Real. The wounds were real. _They_ were real.

A warm scent invaded his senses and drowned out the natural musk of the forest; light and calm, somewhere between vanilla and an old book. It was a calming scent, inviting and soothing, but it was deceiving and also very terrifying. One of them was near, silent and unseen, but where was the other?

Fear made his legs numb but he pushed forward once more, nearly tripping in his haste to flee. He wouldn't make to the forest's edge and no one would come looking for him. His parents would mourn and the elders would speak of the forest and it's monsters claiming another life.

••••••

_The elders told of times when the village was young and so were the people, of a time when the forest was ancient but alive and welcoming. They spoke of a time when the forest didn't swallow all that entered it, when it was safe in all seasons. They said the gods had been happier then, polite and friendly, when there had still been three of them. _

_If someone lost their way, the gods were more likely to help them, keep them safe and guide them back, than they were to hurt and consume them. The village had been at peace with it's three protectors. The gods had dwelled at the edge of the forest and sometimes even walked within the village's boundaries. Long ago, the people had praised them, they offered gifts and left food in the temple and all was peaceful._

_But things changed. Now the two that remained hid deep within the shadows of the forbidden forest and a visit meant ruination._

_A stranger had come to the village, traversing the path that wound it's way through the forest, a path that didn't exist in modern times. This stranger was a conniving man, a heartless and cruel man. He sought power and he corrupted those in charge with his gold and his tales of glory beyond the forest. When next the gods visited, the man and his gathered followers were waiting._

_The day had been bright and cheery, the forest alive with the sounds of chirping birds and the buzz of insects. The sun shone high overhead and the villagers had enjoyed the fair weather. When the light breeze had carried familiar, beautiful scents through the streets; the inviting mingle of warm vanilla, vivid orchids and the smell of a storm at sea, all work had ceased and the people eagerly awaited the arrival of their gods._

_The first to appear, a wolf as white as the winter it's self stepped from the forest, his coat impeccable and unstained. His size alone proved he could be of no natural origin, his weight rivaling that of a small horse, but it was the beast's eyes that really gave his identity away. Golden fire danced in his orbs, surrounded by the dark of a starless night. His tongue, tainted an odd frostbitten blue, lolled happily from his mouth in true canine fashion as he trotted into view, head held high and proud._

_Following shortly behind, a jackal with a coat so brilliant it was nearly golden strode from the forest. His long legs were lean and graceful, his body just as slim but incredibly powerful. His size neared the wolf's, making him dwarf any natural born jackal. He too wore a canine smile, ever light hearted and cheerful. His eyes were a deep, endless brown that shone with intelligence. His pointed ears swiveled about as he neared his fellow god and mate. Ears sliding back in an affectionate gesture, the jackal nosed the underside of the wolf's jaw, earning an equally affectionate lick for his efforts._

_Always the last to show himself, the most mysterious of the three finally stalked from the shadows. His coat was so dark that in the sun it shimmered blue over rippling muscle. His body carried the undeniable grace of his feline heritage. Lean and powerful, it spoke of the ease of a kill. The jaguar's eyes were of the purest blue, endless and almost cold, just like the seas. His slim tail trailed behind him as he padded toward his companions, butting his head into first the large wolf and then the jackal in his own display of affection._

_Together, as they always were, the three gods strode passed the perimeter of the village and entered it's boundaries. They were welcomed with praise and worship by the happy villagers. As they had done countless times, the three strode through the streets toward the center of town and the temple that had been constructed in their names._

_As was usual, a feast awaited them and to honor the humans that had gifted such precious things to them, they entered the temple with the intent to fill their bellies and converse with the villagers. But before they could begin, the conniving man that had wormed his way into the village's leaders' good graces revealed himself._

'_Grant me wealth.' He had demanded of them. The jackal had chuckled good naturally and refused, claiming that not even the gods could turn nothing into something or lead into gold._

'_Give me power, then.' The man had tried again. 'So that I might gain the gold myself.'_

_Again, the three had refused. The black jaguar told him he was undeserving of power if he could not attain it himself and warned the man of the corruption he would bring upon himself in attempting such an ill-fated thing._

'_Then my final offer is that you find me a beautiful woman of nobel birth to marry.' The man thought that if he married into nobility, he could gain both power and wealth._

_But yet again, he was refused. The white wolf snarled a laugh, his ears falling back in mirth and his blue tongue curling around sharp fangs. He told the man that no woman would mate with a greedy creature such as himself and that should he manage to force one into it, he would be unhappy and she unfaithful, making all the power and wealth in the world useless in making his life worthwhile._

_The man grew angry. 'You have spelled your own doom.' He claimed as he drew a sword from it's scabbard at his side. Around him, men and woman drew their weapons as well while the majority of the villagers looked on in confusion and a growing horror._

_The three gods stood; a dark smirk on the wolf's features, a concerned and pitying frown furrowing the jackal's brows, and an outraged snarl on the dark features of the jaguar. The gods quickly shooed the innocent from the temple as the man and his followers surged forward._

_In the end, the man and his followers had been slaughtered but at a price. Where once three gods had happily lounged near mounds of food, blood and carnage now soaked the ground and stained golden fur. A mournful howl shattered the silence after the battle and soon, the wolf and his jaguar mate carried their leaner companion between them and helped him hobble from the temple._

_A sword jutted from his heaving chest and blood dripped from his chin. His depthless eyes were glazed as he was lain flat in the middle of the street, his mates circling him with pain and desperation in their gazes. The jaguar nudged his rounded snout against the jackal's, a whimper crawling from his throat. The wolf and the feline took turns between comforting their dying companion and standing guard for the next day and night. The villagers wept for their gods but didn't dare draw near as the two remaining grew rife with grief. The moment of the jackal's death was announced by a long, haunting howl that pierced the still night air, a low, equally mournful yowl fleeing the jaguar's throat to mingle with the wolf's despair._

_A grave was dug for the enormous, godly jackal but by the time the villagers arrived where the god had died, his body and his mates were gone and nothing would ever be the same. The winds that night had sang of pain, hollow and raw and cold as though the summer was over and the harsher seasons had come early._

_It was common knowledge that a god couldn't just die. But it's carrier could, it's body, and if that happened, then the god would be reborn into a different carrier. But no one knew how long that took and the two remaining gods had grown quiet in their pain as they waited for their mate to return to them. Sorrow tainted their spirits and filled their eyes. That sorrow eventually morphed into anger, rage and even hatred. They grew bitter and resentful. They grew cruel just like the man that had broken them. _

_The temple had remained empty since that day, the names of the gods eventually becoming taboo to even speak, lest they be summoned and doom befell the village. The forest was forbidden and for good reason. They couldn't forgive what had happened. Entering their forest meant death. The two remaining gods did not take kindly to the people that had killed their mate, nor the descendants of those people. They were no longer the kind, gentle creatures they once were, but evil and deadly beasts._

_The wolf and the jaguar lost hope of being reunited with their dead mate. They cut off the path that had led in and out of the village, using their power to destroy it and make the forest close it off. They would consume the village one day, destroy everything within and kill all the humans. It was only a matter of time before they lost themselves completely to the darkness that had wrapped around their hearts._

_The villagers' only hope rest in that one day soon, before it was too late, a male child would be born and accept the lost god's wondering spirt. If that happened, the parents would be forced to give their child up and hope that the two gods, who's sanity was wavering, would accept the boy, but it would save the lives of many. If a carrier was not found, or the gods did not accept the rebirth, the village would be doomed and the forest would die, taking with it the life of every creature that depended on it and the gods._

••••••

Another person had gone missing, a young man whom thought he could save the village. He had unwisely volunteered for what most dreaded. The elders that still lived were growing desperate and any boy that they could even loosely connect to the jackal god was handed over to the forest. His body wouldn't be found. None of the bodies were ever found, destroyed and consumed by the monsters lurking the forest, monsters that had once been regarded as gentle and benign beings.

Ichigo shook his head as he listened to his father relay the news to his mother. To him, it seemed shameful that the elders would so casually toss away any male child's life, but he understood their desperation. Sitting outside, he watched his two younger sisters play in the garden. The blinding light of the setting sun made his unnaturally bright hair glow all the more. A light breeze carried the scent of rain and dark clouds edged on the horizon. A vicious crack of thunder interrupted his sisters' play and had fearful expressions crossing their features. He chuckled as they scurried passed him and into the house.

He hadn't been around when the gods were still three, nor had his parents, but his grandparents had been, though they had been very young. Both were dead now, but he still remembered the tales. His grandmother had only felt sorrow for the cruel gods and he would admit, at least to himself, that she had passed that sentiment on to him.

At 15, nearly sixteen, Ichigo was still young, but he was wise beyond his years, intelligent and always curious to know more. He believed what his grandmother had told him and he held hope that the jackal would return to the mates he had left behind. His father thought him crazy, but the older man was proud of his son and the young man he was becoming. His mother was just like his grandmother had been. She was kind hearted and often told the twins and Ichigo the ancient stories of the gods and the forest they had once loved. She condoned and fed her son's passion and understanding toward the gods, nurturing his caring nature. Together, his parents had raised him into a strong and courageous, yet accepting and kind young man.

"Ichigo, dear, come in before it begins raining at least." His mother called from the door as he climbed to his feet, features split into a pleased smile. She understood her son better than most and knew the storm would make him adventurous, as they always did and had since he was small. It was like the natural energy in the air lent him energy and called to him, beckoning him to explore.

"I will!" Ichigo turned to wave over his shoulder at her. Lightening lit up the darkening horizon and while the rest of the villagers were seeking the cover of their homes, he was walking toward the coming storm.

He had been like that since he was but a small child. The natural born fear of a powerful and violent storm was missing. Instead, they fascinated him and drew him in. Nature's raw power was invigorating and liberating to him. There was something wild and free about it, something that man couldn't control nor tame.

The breeze picked up and pushed his orange locks away from his face. Ichigo smiled into the wind and closed his eyes as he breathed deep the scent of rain and wet earth. He let his feet guide him through the deserted paths and roads of the village. Even without looking, he knew where he would end up. Every time a storm would hit, he ultimately found himself hovering near the old temple. The village had grown since the old days, not by much, but it was enough to push the columned building toward the edge so that it was no longer the center of the village, no longer the heart of their community.

Ichigo thought it tragic that something so beautiful was left empty and lifeless. Perhaps if the villagers had continued to praise their nearly fallen gods, the Winter wolf and the Autumn jaguar would not have fallen into such deep despair, if they had had someone to help them as they had always helped the villagers. Their Summer had been taken from them, it seemed only natural that they would be bitter and cold without the warmth of the jackal. Even Mother Spring could only do so much in warming them. Her powers were limited to cycling the seasons that her children, the gods, had been created after. But Summer was missing and the forest couldn't flourish without his season of growing.

Fall was upon them now and it showed. The rain grew colder and more often, the leaves of the trees began withering and turning colors. The jaguar had always been known for his fierceness, even when he was kind and now was no different. He killed off the plant life and the animals that wouldn't be able to survive through winter. The leaves and less hardy plants withered quicker each year, the brilliant colors of fall looking less and less beautiful and yet his season grew ever more harsh.

Winter would bring snow. So much snow. Nearly enough to bury the village in. It always did, at least as long as Ichigo could remember. His parents said it had steadily gotten worse through out the generations. Personally, Ichigo thought the winter just as beautiful as the other seasons, but it was a cruel one, ruled by a god just as cold. The Winter wolf, much like his jaguar mate, allowed his season to become harsh and unforgiving. What the jaguar didn't kill off, the wolf would. Only the strong and the prepared survived through the winter.

In the spring, Mother nature would attempt to bring all back to life. The trees would bloom and the grass would turn green. The earth would be rich and fertile and the crops would grow. But without her child, the jackal of Summer, her power could only extend so far. Summers were supposed to be for growing and tending the plants, but it was becoming hard to keep the crops alive. The jackal had died and so had the summer.

And then the cycle started over again as the bitter and heartbroken gods slowly killed off their beloved forest and the village they had once protected.

Ichigo found himself seated on the stairs of the temple as he watched the storm approach, his heart heavy with his thoughts. Thunder boomed and interrupted the silence and lightening flashed through the sky. Ichigo smirked at the violent display. It would seem the gods were particularly unhappy this night.

A rather forceful gust of wind whipped at his shirt and he frowned as he lifted his face to the sky. The smell of the rain had changed. It still smelled of rain, but it smelled... deeper, more powerful. Soon enough, Ichigo's frown turned into a wide eyed look of surprise and slight fear. Carried along with the smell of the fresh seas, a warm vanilla could be found. The gods, both of them, were drawing near with the storm.

Leaping to his feet, Ichigo charged down the stairs of the temple and fled down the street back toward his home and family. His younger sisters had already fled inside, his parents with them so his family would be fine, but now he had himself to worry about and he stood on the other side of the village.

The dark clouds rolled overhead, moving with an unnatural speed that matched the swiftness of the creatures running at the heart of the storm. The thunder grew louder, the lightening brighter and more persistent. The storm clouds finally broke as they blackened out the last lingering rays of sun, showering the village in a heavy rain. Ichigo was drenched in seconds as he raced down the street.

White flashed in the dark, a big creature trotting between the buildings with silent grace. Ichigo skidded to a halt on the wet ground, his deep, brown eyes wide as he searched through the dark and tried to penetrate the rain. There was no mistaking the size of the creature that had run in front of him. Something brushed across the backs of his legs, long and slim and furred. He swallowed as he slowly spun. Nearly falling backward in his surprise, Ichigo came face to face with brilliant, cold blue eyes.

The jaguar had shown himself, the god known for his mystery and power. His dark coat made him match the dark night with seamless perfection but his eyes shone and cut through the rain. They were fevered and seething but there was intelligence and even curiosity in their depths, hidden deep inside the beast.

Breath coming at a quickened pace, Ichigo fought to keep calm as he slowly took a step back. He didn't dare flee nor turn his back on the creature. There would be no point in such an effort, but standing so close made his heart pound in his chest and ache against his ribs. For all the animal rage that boiled in those blue eyes, so too did a resignation, defeat. They were flat in a lifeless way, like he was nothing more than a shell.

Nearly silent footsteps from behind him cut through the pounding rain and made him freeze in his tracks. The rain didn't let up. It soaked his clothing and made his bright hair dark, nearly red. Water tracked over his face and arms in rivulets, chilled by the cooling season. He shivered but he didn't know if it was a trembling from the cold or the powerful creatures stalking around him.

A large, white wolf edged around him, ignoring him as though he wasn't there, one muscled shoulder brushing against Ichigo's. A blue tongue peeked from between parted lips to graze the feline's muzzle as the wolf turned to stand beside his companion and face Ichigo. The two sat, their cunning eyes never leaving his form. Sorrow swirled in their gazes, pain enough to drown in, even after all this time. But there was none of the madness the elders spoke of, none of the mindless killing intent that should have been in both blue and golden orbs.

Ichigo glanced passed them, to the temple before casting his eyes around him. He stood where their mate had taken his last breath and Ichigo fell to his knees as an overwhelming pain bloomed in his chest and stole his breath. His very heart hurt and he clutched at his chest through his shirt, looking up at the large and deadly animals before him. He could feel their pain, could feel the jackal's pain, both physical and emotional.

"I-I'm sorry..." He whispered, head tilted back to look into their eyes. Rain water streamed through their fur, following the curves of their features. It dripped from their jaws and streaked below their brightly colored eyes. He didn't know why he felt the need to apologize for what had happened to the gods, he didn't know if that was even what he was apologizing for, but he did realize they weren't the monsters everyone thought. They simply bled for their lost mate. They mourned.

The jaguar butted his big head lightly against the wolf's as they turned away from Ichigo. With slow, heavy steps, they disappeared into the night as silently and unexpectedly as they had shown themselves. When next the lightening flashed over head and turned the dark streets into day, not a trace of the two remaining god's was to be found.

"Ichigo? Ichigo!" His father raced up behind him nearly a half hour later, the unrelenting rain soaking through his clothing and making his dark hair fall in his face. Ichigo had yet to find the strength to stand from his place in the middle of the muddy road. He stared at the place the gods had disappeared but his eyes only saw shining, golden fur, stained through with red as the jackal lay in the road. His chest burned under his hand, his heart heavy and pounding.

"Ichigo, my son, what happened? Are you alright?" Isshin pulled his boy, soaked through and shivering, from the ground, his wife at his side with fear and worry in her eyes. A worried gasp fell from his mother's lips and Ichigo collapsed in the older man's hold, falling against his father to be supported by him.

As Isshin hefted him up to begin carrying his trembling son home, Ichigo spoke before blackness consumed him. "They bleed for me."

Two days later, the storm finally broke. Brilliant, late morning light spilled in through the bedroom window and splashed across equally vivid orange hair. The birds that had yet to migrate away for the cold seasons chirped happily outside and the sound of two girls playing in the garden drifted on the breeze.

Ichigo stretched his arms above his head and yawned, relishing the warmth of the unnaturally clear day. Climbing from his bed, he turned to glance out the window and into the backyard, a smile on his face as he watched Karin splash through the puddles still sitting in the damp earth, Yuzu reading quietly near by. Glancing further out, his father and mother were tending the last of the season's plants.

A frown found his face before he realized how late it was. Cursing, Ichigo scrambled about his room for his work clothing. Throwing on a pair of old, stained up pants and a short sleeved top that had once upon a time been a solid color, he flew down the stairs and rushed out the door, a light shiver running up his spine with the cold chill of the season's air.

Karin and Yuzu both froze, dropping what they were doing as he flew out the back door and ran passed them. His parents paused as well, looking up with varying degrees of surprise and worry in their expressions.

Fearing he was about to be scolded for his laziness, Ichigo scurried to their sides to begin apologizing. "Sorry, mother, father! I didn't mean to over sleep. You should have woken me up..."

Neither parent said a word as Masaki pulled him closer, looking with wide eyes at her son. She looked as though she hadn't slept in days, with dark marks under her eyes and her features a bit drawn. "Ichigo, dear... you're awake..."

Ichigo frowned, looking passed her to his father in confusion. Isshin shook his head, looking just as surprised. "Son, how are you feeling?" Brushing his boy's hair out of the way, he laid his hand over Ichigo's forehead.

"I-I feel fine... I don't understand, what's going on?" Ichigo looked between his parents, then over his shoulder to where Karin and Yuzu still watched him.

"Ichi-nii... You fainted during the storm..." Yuzu's quiet voice informed him, tentative as she and her twin moved closer. "Papa found you in the street by the old temple."

"You've been asleep for nearly two days." Isshin's deep voice was quiet as he carefully watched his son. The boy seemed fine. He didn't have a fever, his eyes were clear and he looked well rested. He also looked rather confused.

"But I... What?" Ichigo frowned before his eyes slowly widened and he stuttered over what to say or think. Vivid, cunning blue and fiery, swirling gold flashed in his mind's eye. "I-I thought that a dream..."

"What happened, Ichigo? During the storm, who was bleeding?" His mother's voice was full of concern and care. "We searched, but we couldn't find anyone..."

Ichigo understood their fear. They were afraid they would be receiving word that the gods had claimed another victim, that the wolf and the jaguar were the reason no one was found.

"No one. Uh, there was only me out there." He frowned as he struggled to put the pieces of his muddled memory into place. His hand rose as the memory of pain flashed through his mind. Patting at his chest, he searched the place over his heart where fire had erupted in the middle of the rain. It was almost tender, but not painful, not like it had been in the presence of the Winter wolf and Autumn jaguar.

"Uh, I'm going to sound crazy..." Ichigo mumbled to his parents, still frowning down at his feet in thought. "But I think _they_ were there..."

"Ichigo, son, that's impossible." Isshin shook his head, his demeanor full of concern and confusion. His son couldn't have meant the gods. The gods didn't visit and not destroy anything. "They don't just leave people alive..."

"They aren't the monsters you think they are. They hurt and their humanity bleeds with their lose." He snapped, unnaturally angry at the accusation. He was used to his father's line of thinking. It was the same opinion most of the villagers held and he usually just brushed it off, but this time was different. It just rubbed in the wrong way, especially coming from his own father. It was almost offensive in a way that seemed far more personal than it should have.

His parents stood as if frozen, puzzled expressions on their features. After several long moments, his mother finally reached out to her son. She ran her fingers tenderly though orange locks and a gentle, reassuring smile played across her kind features.

"Ichigo, dear, perhaps you should go back inside and rest a bit longer..." She bid him in a quite voice. No one had known what was wrong with their beloved son. Her husband, one of the village's best versed in medical knowledge, hadn't been able to find anything wrong with him. It had seemed as though he simply slept, a deep sleep, but still natural. Yet, despite all their efforts, they hadn't been able to wake him. He had slept for the rest of the night they found him, as well as another entire day and night.

Thoroughly confused and still unsure if what he had seen had indeed been a dream or not, Ichigo stared between his parents, but at his mother's worried tone and expression and his father's seeming agreement, the orange haired boy had little choice in the matter. Reluctantly, he nodded his agreement and stepped closer to wrap his arms around his mother. She hugged him back, ruffling his hair in motherly affection before releasing him and, after insuring that he would be alright on his own, allowing him to return to the house.

Their twin daughters followed closely behind their older brother and Masaki turned back toward Isshin, her hand covering her trembling lips. "Oh Isshin..." She whispered.

The older man dropped the gardening tool he'd been holding, letting it thump to the ground as he stepped closer to his wife and hugged her close. "He'll be fine, Masaki..."

"We can't let them take him...if the elders find out he thinks he saw _them_ during the storm..." She shook her head and buried her face in her husband's chest.

"They're not going to take him. He was delusional, there's no proof that they were around him or anywhere near the village." His tone was hard, determined but as he hugged his worried wife close, his voice dropped to a whisper. "I wont let them sacrifice our son."

Crouched in the taller plants not so very far from the two adults and safely down wind so that their unique scents were hidden, a large, dark head shifted toward the side slightly. Keen ears swiveled to take in the humans' words before blue eyes shifted away from the scene to lock with the gold on black of his mate.

As the two humans turned toward their home, huddled close to one another, two enormous creatures stood, one of white, the other of black. Without a sound, they stalked off through the drying plants and vanished into the dying forest.

Later that night, as the village once more grew quiet and the last light was doused within his home, Ichigo slipped from his bed. He buried his nose in the crease of the book he'd been reading, smiling as he inhaled the unique, calming scent before he closed it and placed it on it's shelf but a frown quickly found his features and he ran a hand through his vivid hair as he crossed his room. Quietly, carefully, he tiptoed his way down the stairs. The last one at the bottom usually creaked, so he skipped it and landed lightly on his toes upon the wood of his hallway floor. Freezing in place, he listened for any sign that anyone stirred. Nothing but silence found it's way back to him.

Slipping from the house, he pulled his coat close about his lean figure and disappeared into the dark. He lurked the streets, quickly making his way back to the temple but he found nothing. He lifted his face toward the sky, inhaling deep the smell of the village and the muted smell of the surrounding forest but there was no trace of stormy seas or calming vanilla. Nothing.

His brow creased, he wondered what he hoped to gain by finding them. Why would they show themselves to him again? Why had they at all? Shaking his head, he replayed the images he had seen, the sounds and the smells of the dying jackal and his worried, mournful mates. The scenes were so real, so intense, like he had been standing there watching it all unfold, like memories that were left unfaded by time.

His hand found it's way back to his chest as his feet carried him back toward his home. He winced at the tender sting and let his hand fall back to his side, shaking his head. Walking around the back of the house, Ichigo looked out at his family's small field and the garden. Perhaps his father had been right... Maybe he hadn't seen them at all and it had been a dream. But something twinged in his chest and his heart felt heavy just thinking it.

He turned to head back inside, his mind racing with curiosity and questions. Just before he got to the back door, he stepped in a hole, water soaking the bottom of his pants. Cursing quietly at his luck, he lifted his foot to scowl down at the offending puddle when he froze. Below his foot, the indentation of a large paw was pressed into the soft earth. Little pin pricks showed where claws had settled in the mud. The print was nearly as long as his shoe and much wider, the weight of the creature enough to sink it several inches into the ground.

Ichigo spun about to search the direction the print pointed. His deep, brown eyes scanned the dark horizon, lighting on every tree, every plant, and obstacle he could see. Nothing moved and no flash of vivid color looked back at him. Orange brows furrowed as Ichigo took one last look at the paw print before scraping his foot across it to smear it enough to be unrecognizable. When it appeared to be nothing but another hole dug by his sister, he pulled the backdoor open. With one last glance around, he disappeared inside.

His night would be a restless one, filled with tossing and turning as violent visions flashed before his mind's eye. In his dreams, his breaths came out as shallow pants, each one more painful than the last. Golden fur was streaked with red as a puddle of his own blood grew below his weakening body. He could hear them slowly circling him from nearby. They whined in distress, sounds neither of them made very often, sounds that broke his heart. The scent of blood filled his nose but he could still detect the comforting scent of vanilla and fresh rain and the mingling smells made a small smile curl his features. He closed his eyes as a warm snout nuzzled affectionately, worriedly against his own.

Ichigo jerked awake as a mournful howl ripped through the predawn air. Jolting upright in bed, a frightened sound escaped him. The moon still shone high overhead in the night sky, the sun just beginning to color the horizon with brilliant purples and oranges. Panting and covered in sweat Ichigo looked around with wide eyes, clutching at his shirt in the effort to slow his wild heartbeat. Nothing stirred in the deep shadows of his room and his home was quiet.

Flopping back to his mattress, Ichigo winced as the place over his chest burned with the movement. He blew out a strained sigh as the sharp flash of pain subsided and carefully began pulling his shirt over his head. Sitting back up, he looked down to find the area over his heart irritated and bruised. Beneath the discoloration, his once sun kissed skin showed a fresh, pink scar where none had been before. Frowning in his confusion, Ichigo ran his fingers over the raised mark, a breath hissing between his teeth as pain once more flared through the area.

A second howl shattered the silence and echoed through the streets. Brown eyes widened in the dark of his bedroom as Ichigo froze, knowing he wasn't dreaming this time. He heard as his parents awakened in their room, his father climbing from his bed to hurry down the hall.

Isshin first peeked into the girls' room to find them clinging to one another but unharmed. Dread filled his stomach as he rushed to his son's room but he found Ichigo mostly unharmed as well.

Ichigo stood in the center of his room, clad in only his sleep pants. His hand was pressed over his chest, a wince straining his boyish features. His wide, pained brown eyes landed on Isshin as his father rushed into the room. Behind his father, he could hear his sisters' light footsteps as they crept into their parents' room to hide with their mother. Another howl sounded through the village, hollow and cold. He watched out of the corner of his eye, through the window, as the lights in their neighbors' houses began turning on and the village stirred.

"Father-" Ichigo began, confused and unsure, a bit of fear bubbling up in his belly as well. He had no idea what was going on and his chest burned, his heart pounding solidly against his ribcage like a rabbit attempting to escape a trap and stealing his breath away. His father cut his inquiry off with one of his own.

"Ichigo, what happened? Are you ok?" He flipped the light on as he rushed to his boy. Below Ichigo's palm, a trickle of red smeared across his chest and dripped down his abdomen. He pulled Ichigo's hand away to inspect the wound. It hadn't been there when he had found the boy outside in the storm but the bruising around it suggested it had been there long before then.

Ichigo looked back to his chest as his father knelt before him and pulled his bloodied hand away. He stuttered over his words as he watched more blood seep from the half healed wound, a gash that had only moments ago been a freshly healed scar and the day before that, nothing at all. He stood rooted to the floor as his father tried to question what had happened and wiped away the blood to get a better look. He didn't hear a word as a yelp and snarl rang through the streets with the sound of shouting voices.

His heart in his throat, Ichigo jolted from his place and ran passed his father, leaving the older man scrambling after him and calling his name. He ignored his father and rushed down the stairs, leaping the last half to land in a crouch at the bottom. Hardly slowing, his bare feet slid on the wood of the floor as he took off through the house to the front door that would lead out into the streets.

He threw the door open as deep, vicious snarling rumbled from a muscled chest. Even in the deep shadows, his eyes landed on a sleek, black shape in the middle of the street. The Autumn jaguar's head was lowered, his shoulders heaving with his aggression as his tail whipped at the air behind him in obvious outrage. His black ears were tucked back and his bright eyes spoke of threat.

Huddled behind the large cat, the Winter wolf bared massive fangs toward one of the villagers crowding the street near by, his ears pinned back and his golden eyes aflame. One foreleg was pulled up, taking the weight off it as red slowly stained the white fur of his shoulder, his tail tucked between his back legs.

The sight made Ichigo's heart ache. The gods had been reduced to animals in their search and now they were being treated like animals, like monsters, when all they wanted was to find the jackal. He rushed into the street as Isshin came up behind him.

"Ichigo!" Isshin made a grab for his son but the boy was swifter and darted away from him with silent steps and ease. He followed behind, disregarding the two hulking creatures taking up the middle of the street nearly in front of his house as worry for his child took precedence in his mind. To his horror, Ichigo ran toward the gods, placing himself between them and the gathering villagers, most of which brandished some type of weapon.

"Stop! Leave them alone and go back to your homes!" Ichigo bid of them, hands held before him and his back turned toward the unnatural creatures. Both beasts ceased in their snarling, their cunning eyes narrowing as they watched the curious human before them. He bled and his life blood smelled of the summer, of the light scent of orchids on a warm breeze. The scent calmed them and intrigued them. The jaguar sat, letting his slim tail cease it's agitated motions and curl around his feet as his remaining mate hobbled a step forward, his head tilted in curiosity and fangs once more hidden.

Standing before Ichigo, the villagers began whispering as they tried to decide what to do. Fear made their grips tight around the handles of their weapons but it also kept them rooted to their places in the silent hope that the gods would simply turn and leave. The beasts before them were undeniably powerful and would bring death if they chose to attack.

"Ichigo." Isshin snagged his boy and pulled him close, his eyes trained on the massive animals sitting in the road. "What are you doing? Get back inside."

"No, father." Ichigo spun to his dad, eyes wide in his desperation to make the people leave the creatures alone. The wound in his chest was forgotten, even as drops of blood streaked his torso. The pain was lost to him as his heart began feeling heavy with sorrow and dread. "This was all theirs once and to them, it still is. They're gods and they're lawless. They're only searching. They don't mean any harm."

Ichigo turned toward the gods, his brown eyes filled with a compassion the two had not known in a very long time. "Please..." He whispered, barely loud enough for his father standing right next to him to hear. "Please leave before they do something stupid..."

A dark, feline head tilted to the side, blue eyes scanning the orange haired boy. The wolf hobbled a step closer still, edging around his feline companion, his own eyes danced with heated chaos. When he opened his massive jaws, blue tongue flashing between his white fangs, none of the villagers had been expecting the quiet, distorted voice that came from the beast and a collective gasp fell from the people.

"We don' take orders from pitiful humans." The wolf's voice seemed to flow forth on a gust of wintery wind. His tone was lilting and distorted in a chilling way, befitting of the god of Winter.

"I-I wasn't trying to order you..." Ichigo told him, forcing words passed his astonishment. No one had heard the gods speak since their Summer had been taken away generations ago. "I was only asking...so that no one would get hurt..."

The jaguar let out a low rumble, somewhere between amused and thoughtful, almost a growl but not quiet. His blue eyes were calculating, his stare a commanding one. When he spoke, his voice was deep and rich like waves in a cooling sea.

"Ever the peace keeper." Was all he said as he stood, his slim tail flicking out behind him. He rubbed his head against the wolf's thickly furred neck on his way passed and together they turned to head back toward the forest, their steps silent and graceful, even as the wolf limped. They disappeared before they crossed the tree line as the sun began climbing into the sky.

The gathered villagers remained silent as all eyes fell on Ichigo. Behind the boy, the rising sun's rays created a halo and made his fiery hair seem almost golden. His eyes were deep and knowing beyond his young age and drying blood smeared his bare chest. The gods had spoken to no one in generations, falling silent after their mate had been taken from them, yet they spoke to Ichigo.

Before anyone could react and before anything could be said, Isshin took his son's hand and led him back to the house. "Come, Ichigo..."

Ichigo allowed himself to be led into his home. His mother and sisters were waiting, worried expressions on their features. They had seen through the window what had transpired and Ichigo knew that, though he didn't know how he knew. As his heart beat began to slow to a more normal and less frantic pace, a dull ache settled in his chest once more and he winced as he rubbed over the gash that was once more beginning to mend. By the time Isshin had finished cleaning the blood from his boy's skin, the mark was nothing more than a scar again, raw and bruised but healed over.

"F-father..." Ichigo looked up and found his father's gaze. Just as confused and frightened as everyone else, his soft brown eyes were wide, his orange brows drawn together. Contrary to how he had appeared the day before, he now looked worn out and tired, like something was drawing the energy from him. He grasped his father's shirt to help steady himself as he forced his breathing to come in deep, even breaths. "What's happening to me?"

Isshin could only shake his head as he pulled his son close. "I won't let anything happen to you..."

A few hours later saw Ichigo sleeping fitfully in his bed as the sun rose higher into the early morning sky, wrapped in his blankets as he shivered. Isshin descended the stairs back to the main level of his house, leaving his twin daughters sitting in their big brother's room. The sound of his wife's voice drifted to him as she addressed someone other than himself. Frowning, he made his way back toward the front of the house. His heart leapt to his throat as he rounded the doorway to find one of the village's councilmen standing in his entryway.

"You can leave." He said as he neared his wife, crossing his arms over his burly chest and looking far more frightening than he usually did. He knew what the unexpected visit was about but he refused to give up his son. They would have to kill him before one of his children were given to the forest.

"Good morning to you as well, Mr. Kurosaki." The man said in a tight voice. "I'm sure you've figured out what my visit is about, so I won't waste any more time. Your boy's display was quite interesting this morning. Even more interesting; he got them to speak and even leave. We would like you and your son to attend the next council meeting, later tonight, where more on this matter will undoubtedly be discussed."

Isshin said nothing as he stared the man down before he nodded his head in a single, quick motion, accepting the invitation. He had little choice in the matter and should Ichigo have been awake, he knew his son would have agreed to attend.

"Where is he now, if I may ask?" The man inquired.

Isshin's eyes narrowed suspiciously, in no mood for anyones games. Nothing good ever came out of dealing and associating with the once worshiped and now deranged gods. The last thing he had expected was for his son to be connected to them somehow. And he could no longer deny that the boy was. Something was going on with his child. "He sleeps. He has been...unwell these past few days."

"Good bye, then, Mr. Kurosaki. We will see you later this night." The man turned and let himself out, leaving Isshin to glare from behind him.

Later that afternoon, Ichigo groaned as he rolled out of bed. His feet hit the floor of his bedroom without a sound but he stood hunched over and leaning against the mattress as he crossed his arm over his abdomen and let his hand settle over his heart. Each breath felt like fire, leaving him confused, scared and sore.

He looked up to see Karin and Yuzu watching him from where they sat in the middle of his room, quietly playing while they had kept watch over him as he slept. He could practically smell their uncertainty and worry and he slowly straightened as he let a strained smile cross his features.

"I'm fine." He told them before they asked. Karin jumped up from the floor and raced out of the room. Ichigo heard her quiet footsteps hurrying down the stairs to find their parents. They sounded almost too loud in his skull. Yuzu got up in less of a rush and walked up to him, taking his hand as she led him toward the door.

"Papa wants to talk to you. I think it's about the man that came and was asking about you earlier."

Ichigo frowned and bent slightly to pick her up, resting the small girl on his hip to carry her down the stairs. She smiled and gladly clung to him for the ride, though it was a bit slower and more careful than it normally was. When they made it to the bottom, Ichigo was met by his parents and his other sister. He put Yuzu down and stood in silence as his father informed him of what was going on, an uncomfortable knot forming in the pit of his belly. Everything about the up coming meeting sounded foreboding.

"If you do not wish to go, I will go and inform them, son, don't push yourself." Isshin told his boy, hoping and wishing Ichigo would agree to stay behind and let his father speak for him, but he knew the stubborn young man would never sit by. He was too much like Isshin himself was.

"No, I want to go." Ichigo's brows furrowed with determination as he turned to go back up the stairs and prepare for the council meeting, where he would ultimately be forced to speak in front of the village's leaders and the most powerful men and women that lived amongst them. He fully intended to defend the gods, the only problem was that he didn't know how to do that or even what would be asked of him. He feared that he would be sent into the forest, that he would be the next male child sent to a grisly fate but that fear didn't run so deep as he knew it should have. He was more afraid of being taken from his family than he was of facing the gods and potentially being devoured.

When that evening and the time of the council meeting finally arrived, Ichigo and Isshin left their home, dressed in their best. They bid Masaki and the girls stay home and walked across the village. Doing his best to ignore the slowly building burn in his chest, Ichigo squared his shoulders and prepared to face whatever he would be up against, knowing it would be concerning the blood thirsty wolf and jaguar. Beside him, Isshin walked quietly with pride in his heart for the young man his boy was becoming, even though he feared what the council members and elders would say.

"How are you feeling, Ichigo?" The elder Kurosaki asked quietly as they neared the village meeting hall. He didn't know what was wrong with his son, but he hadn't been lying when he told the councilman earlier that Ichigo had been unwell lately. Ichigo hid it well, but Isshin was still his father and nothing escaped a parent's eye when it concerned a child.

"I'm fine." Ichigo told the older man, though he knew his father wouldn't believe him.

"You don't have to hide these things from me, Ichigo, I'm your father-"

"Really, I'm fine." Ichigo repeated, his voice a bit more forceful. How was he supposed to tell his father that his chest ached and each breath felt like a blade cutting across the bone of his ribcage, or that his heart pounded too fast to be normal? How was he supposed to tell the older man that he could hear the quiet whispers about him as they walked through the doors or that he could smell the fear, trepidation, even anger and confusion that wafted from the council members and gathered citizens? How about that, even though he had only seen them for the first time a few days ago and only just learned that they could speak, he missed the jaguar and the wolf like he had known them forever, or that he was confused on whether they searched for him or for the jackal, even though he knew the tales by heart? How was he supposed tell his father that he was scared?

So Ichigo said nothing and looked the picture of calm and confident as he and his father took their seats at the front of the room, facing the council and their backs to the group of gathered citizens. Almost right away the room erupted with voices, with questions. Ichigo flinched as the noise level rose, making the pounding of his heart rise with it like a caged animal.

'What's going on?' 'I heard what happened, is he going to be the next sacrifice?' 'Why did they speak to him?' 'Why is he getting a council meeting when the others didn't?' Somewhere near the back of the gathered people, a woman cried about how the gods had stolen her child, her tears smelling salty to Ichigo as they streaked down her face. Some of the voices were loud, some quiet. They layered over top of one another as people voiced their thoughts and opinions and still others sat in silence. But Ichigo heard them all and his brows furrowed as he listened to the villagers' confusion. Beside him, his father stiffened in a protective way, preparing to get his son out of the meeting hall if things got out of hand.

A single voice stood out among the others, a single question directed to him that finally made Ichigo react. 'why were you spared by the monsters?'

Ichigo stood from his seat and spun to pin the noisy crowd with his deep, serene brown gaze. Everyone fell silent at his commanding presence, everyone's attention directed to the boy that was not quite as he seemed, not any longer.

"They are not monsters." Ichigo said in a quiet voice, volume not needed in the now silent hall.

"If not, then why do they kill like monsters?" The woman in the back stood, her voice raw from her emotions. "Why do they kill the children we try to gift to them for their lost mate's soul?"

She had hardly finished speaking when Ichigo began, cutting her off. "We insult them."

He didn't bother raising his voice to match the woman's outraged tone. He spoke the truth and he knew it, but he didn't know where the words came from and they flowed forth as though from his very heart. "We insult them and offend them. They are gods, the jackal is a god, yet you think that just any human male will do as his carrier. You insult them with your selfish thoughts of superiority and you disgust them with the ease with which you throw your children away. Children are supposed to be cherished above even your own lives yet you throw them to a pair of gods that have never asked for a sacrifice. The Winter wolf and Autumn jaguar have become the creatures you see them as and you give them no reason to change. Your fear pushed them away when they grieved, when they were at their lowest. Now you ask them to show compassion and humanity but you yourselves do not show these things. Why would they spare a life you so willingly throw away? Are they not doing as you ask? Taking the sacrifices you throw at their feet?"

The hall was quiet as Ichigo spoke through a sneer. Even his father at his side was left silent. One hand braced the orange haired young man against the back of his chair while the other had found it's way to his burning chest once more as fire ignited below his flesh. He trembled but he refused to sit down as everyone stared at him like he was no longer the strange boy they had invited into the meeting hall earlier that morning, but something more.

His gaze slowly panned around the room, brown almost flashing gold in the lighting as he seethed with an unnatural defensiveness. He dared anyone, anyone at all, to refute what he said and when it became apparent that no one had anything to say, he finally retook his seat and turned his commanding gaze upon the elders and the council at the front of the hall.

They too were silent as they looked upon the boy that had spoken to the gods, a young man that had survived an encounter with them and was undeniably linked with the once worshiped creatures.

After minutes had passed, time dragging on in a tensed, disbelieving hush, the silence was finally shattered. Like Mother Nature couldn't remain silent, like she was giving voice for her children, thunder rolled through the evening sky. A chilled breeze, as frigid as the Autumn god's gaze, whipped through the streets and alleys of the village with a low whistle. The storm would bring a bitter rain and the breeze smelled of power.

* * *

**So what do you think? Like the idea and where it's heading?  
**

**Oh! And I'm sure at least a few of you remember the birthday picture Storm drew for me in October? Well that was Shiro from this AU, hence the lovely fluffy tail~  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone~ **

**I hope I didn't make you wait too horrendously long for this... The good news is that I'm mostly moved into my new place now! I'm visiting family through out the holidays, but afterward I'll be back to my apartment and hopefully I will be able to find more time to write~  
Anyway, enjoy!  
**

* * *

The villagers were terrified. The storm had ended as abruptly as it had began, but storms weren't uncommon in the colder two of the seasons. The Winter and Autumn gods were unforgiving and when their time came to set the pace at which the earth and it's inhabitants grew, they shared their sorrow and pain. They shared their anger.

The very ground had trembled with the booming thunder. The lightening had lasted long into the night, flashing in the dark in blinding, brilliant and violent bolts. But the storm disappeared with the morning, with the light of day. The citizens left their homes to begin their day, tending to the last of the season's measly, pitiful crops while they prepared for what was promised to be a harsh winter. What awaited them was what stemmed their fear. Massive paw prints circled the village and tread through the streets as though the creatures that had created the prints, none other than the gods, had known exactly where they were headed.

Drawn by their long lost mate's awakening soul, they could not stay away.

Ichigo and his father had sat quietly through out the rest of the meeting, very little of importance actually being brought up. It had seemed the young man's outraged and bitter speech had struck a cord with the gathered citizens; whether that was a good note or sour had yet to be decided. Afterwards, they had faced the storm and hurried home to the rest of their family.

The longer the storm had built, the more Ichigo felt as though something pierced his chest, his very heart. The bruising that marred his once flawless skin throbbed around a scar that shouldn't have been there. Fire ignited in his lungs, making each breath burn going down. His father had worried. How could he not? But Ichigo didn't know anymore than Isshin did, not yet at least. An answer would reveal it's self later that night, as the pain in the young man's chest and behind his eyes finally took it's toll.

Ichigo eventually passed out, after hours of writhing in bed, his twin sisters watching with wide eyes before he pleaded for them to leave so they didn't have to watch their big brother suffer. Darkness was a blessing, but his mind's eye wouldn't stay dormant and the darkness of sleep wasn't dreamless.

Ichigo slept soundly through the night, sucked into an ancient world, a world with different rules and different customs. In his dream, he wondered an ancient forest, the first forest that Mother Spring had created to nurture and bring her children to life, before the seasons had even been born and there was only the spring. As he wondered, the brilliant sunlight filtering through the thick canopy of budding and leaf littered tree branches, the wind carried familiar scents; rich and wild, gentle and soothing.

He parted the branches before him, hardly realizing he was walking as he looked about in awe. As he did so, three small creatures came into view. Mere pups, adolescent and childlike, they looked no different than any natural born animal but they were unmistakable all the same. Ungainly with youth, a wolf pup with flawless white fur wrestled with a jaguar kitten as black as the night. The two roared in mewling, yipping cries of battle, though it was clear they merely played as they tugged on one another's ears and tails with childlike fervor. Sitting near by, a jackal pup watched, a smile seeming to adorn his canine features. Golden fur shimmered unnaturally bright in the sun before black tipped ears swiveled toward where Ichigo stood.

The creature that would eventually grown into the jackal of Summer was the first to take note of him, turning to study the boy with shinning, intelligent yet warm eyes before he stood. His movements drew the attention of the wolf and jaguar. They ceased in their play fight to turn to him as well, their eyes bright and lively with curiosity and wonder, yet to see sorrow or know grief.

They seemed so innocent, so sweet, untainted and certainly incapable of the cruelty they were charged with in present times. The jackal's death had stolen their youthfulness, not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Ichigo knew on an instinctive level that there was no more play between the wolf and the jaguar, not any more. Maybe not ever again. Ichigo's brows furrowed as he watched them. His very soul ached for the happiness and the joy and the peace the young gods would one day loose.

The three stood and began walking toward him. Their steps were unhurried, unworried, and incautious but the closer they got, the faster they grew, the larger they became, as though they were stepping through years rather than through the forest. Still, they looked happy. The wolf's blue tongue lolled from his mouth in a wide, almost chaotic but pleasant enough smile. The jaguar's brilliant blue eyes shone with his own mirth, his tail swaying sensually in graceful arcs and his stride smooth and steady. The jackal walked between them, his head held high and his ears relaxed. They were the epitome of contentment and warmth.

By the time they reached Ichigo, they nearly matched his own hight, the size they were in present time, fully grown and matured into the powerful gods the villagers knew. When they stood hardly a step away, the jaguar's and the wolf's heads lowered, their eyes averting, their posture whispering of pain as their features twisted with grief and their bright eyes dulled. Their silent but dragging, weary steps carried them passed Ichigo, behind him and into the forest, leaving behind a piece of themselves. But the jackal stopped. The god of Summer sat before Ichigo, his deep, brown eyes swirling with too much intelligence and emotion as he watched them go, his lithe shoulders slumped and his ears down, tail curling around to rest across his paws.

The gods parted ways and the forest around Ichigo suddenly seemed much, much darker. The scent of warm vanilla and a powerful storm lingered for a few seconds more before being swallowed by the soft scent of orchid. Tears blurred Ichigo's vision as he reached out and let his fingertips brush soft, golden fur. He wanted to turn, to look behind himself and see where the other two had gone. He wanted to beg them to come back, to erase the look of sad longing from their mate's eyes, but he didn't. He couldn't. The jackal held his attention and the dead god spoke to him.

When he awakened, unaware of the panic and terror taking hold of the village around him, the burning pain was gone. The skin along his chest was no longer bruised but the scar remained, taking on the look of an old wound. Brows furrowed, Ichigo slowly sat up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed, looking down at his bare chest. He frowned as he brushed his fingers across it, felt the raised flesh, the smoothness that came with a healed scar.

It wasn't until a pounding on his bedroom door echoed urgently through his room that he looked up. When he did, he froze, hand still held to his chest, eyes wide. His door was flung wide, his mother and father shouting through the portal in worried voices. They too froze but they went unnoticed as their son's attention was captured by the state of his room, by what sat in the very center of his floor.

Muddy paw prints, much too large to be created by anything other than the godly jaguar and wolf, were spread about and smeared upon the wooden floorboards. Originating from Ichigo's door, the trail ended at his bedside, where they simply disappeared. But more than that, a splash of vivid color stole his attention. Unmarred and un-muddied, despite the mess of his room, a bouquet of wild, purple orchids had been lain upon the floor. Their fragrance filled the room with a soft, but heady and almost nostalgic scent and Ichigo knew that what he had dreamed about had been more than a dream.

The jackal had come to him in his sleep and he had been chosen.

Slowly, brown eyes wide, Ichigo raised his head, letting his gaze travel away from the orchids and to his parents. "I think the jackal has found his carrier..."

After so many years, generations of searching, of sorrow and bitter heartbreak, the gods were finally beginning to grow hopeful of a reunion, of seeing their lost mate once more. But their was no joy for Ichigo and his family. They hardly even had time to process the truth that had so obviously presented it's self.

Before Isshin and Masaki could question their son or get over their shock, a frightened scream reached them from down the stairs of their home, followed by Karin's shouting voice as she addressed someone. Isshin's head snapped around, back toward the stairs as the sound of their front door being broken open echoed through the halls. He flew down the stairs and toward his daughters, Ichigo scrambling from his bed to follow behind. Masaki trailed them, on her son's heals, to find Karin holding tight to her less bold twin while the two backed into a corner. The mess and the mystery of their son was forgotten, but not for long.

Men flooded their home, weapons in hand and faces set in grim determination, people from the village, men and women the Kurosaki family had known all their lives, had grown up with and lived alongside for years. Isshin demanded answers and he certainly was no push over when angered. Even with his calm and goofy personality, he was still a husband and father and he would do anything to protect his family. But the people of the village had been terrorized for a very long time, not just with the threat of the maddened gods, but with the lack of healthy crops and the less harsh climate needed for their livestock to flourish as well. They were desperate and they had finally been shown the key to their salvation, the missing piece needed to please a pair of blood thirsty and cruel creatures. That missing element followed right behind the elder Kurosaki, looking just as angered and confused.

Ichigo, the boy with shining orange hair and gentle brown eyes, had always been a bit unique for a boy his age, but no one had imagined the reason. No one could have guessed he would become their salvation, that he would be what the gods had been waiting for and desperation could drive a person to anything.

Ichigo was taken from his family. In the end, in order to keep his young daughters and his wife safe, Isshin was forced to watch as his only son was pulled from their home. A fearful and confused expression adorned Ichigo's boyish features but there was strength and resolve to be found in his eyes.

Ichigo walked out under his own power, unwilling to see blood shed or his family hurt. A single person held enough pity on him to grab a jacket from beside the door and let him slip into his shoes before he was led out into the street. He was taken to the edge of the forest, the very same location used when sending the sacrificed male children to what surely turned out to be a grisly end. He wasn't given answers to his questions but he knew well enough what his fate was meant to be and he wasn't afraid. He did however fear for his family, for his sisters and his parents, for what would happen to them and that they would be foolish enough to come after him. He wasn't naive enough to believe that just because he didn't fear the gods, the forest wouldn't be a dangerous and deadly place.

Just like all the boys that had gone before him, Ichigo faced the forest and all it stood for, all it meant and all it held. He swallowed and ignored the few jeering comments about his bravery and lack of fear during the council meeting, and faced forward. He clenched his hands into fists at his side and began walking, refusing to look back at those who had forced him into this, refusing to give the satisfaction of knowing he was afraid and refusing to pin blame on any of them.

It took no time at all for the villagers at the edge of the forest to be lost to him. He could no longer hear them, nor look over his shoulder and see them. It was as though they were miles away, or perhaps the forest had already swallowed him and claimed him as it's own.

There was nothing light hearted about the forest, not like in his dream that night. No golden sunlight filtered through the dying leaves of the canopy, no birds sang. The breeze was stiff and cold, whispering of the harsh winter to come and screaming of the jaguar's rage. The only sounds were those of his footsteps as he crunched through the wet, decaying leaf liter. The bottoms of his pant-legs were soaked in minutes and the shoes he had slipped into were no better.

Shivering, Ichigo hugged his jacket to himself as he peered around his shadowed surroundings. He'd never actually ventured into the forest. For as long as he could remember, and even longer, it had always been a forbidden and dangerous place, a place people didn't go. The forest surrounded their village, it was an ever present, looming danger and to enter meant stepping into the gods' territory. That's just how it was. To suddenly be thrust into it was certainly nerve wrecking, to say the least.

Ichigo edged around a tree, his hand running across the wet, moss covered bark. The drying leaves overhead shook and rattled with the breeze, a few of the more dead ones fluttering to the ground around him. Looking up, Ichigo scanned the branches before training his gaze back about himself. Nothing stirred, nothing moved other than the occasional falling leaf, but he knew the forest wasn't as empty as it seemed. But would he know when they were around? Would they even come to him? Why should they, they could do whatever they pleased.

The longer Ichigo continued, the darker the forest seemed and more lost he felt. Everything looked the same yet none of it seemed familiar and he had no way of knowing if he was walking circles or going the same direction he had started out going. He did his best to stay calm and he did his best to convince himself his family would be fine. He still wasn't particularly afraid of meeting the jaguar or the wolf, but he was afraid of what else may be lurking about, or what would happen if he didn't run into them and he was left to wonder.

After what must have been hours, maybe longer, or maybe it had only been minutes, Ichigo turned a circle, looking out around himself and at how truly lost he was. Deeming that it had been more than long enough for the rest of the villagers to have dispersed, he turned back toward the way he was fairly certain he had come and began walking again. It didn't take long for doubt to begin worming it's way into his mind and he wondered if he would ever find his way out and see his family again. None of the boys before him had.

Lost in his thoughts as much as he was lost in the forest, Ichigo was slowly drawn from his mind by the sound of soft footfalls somewhere near by. He paused, orange brows furrowing as he looked around. Nothing stood out amongst the trees. Nothing played in the shadows. Something told him it wasn't a simple animal and a small, not quite bitter smile creased his lips. Still shivering in the chill of the autumn season, Ichigo lowered himself to sit upon the wet ground, his back to a thick, gnarled old tree as his eyes scanned everything around him.

"You don't have to hide." He called softly, lifting his face into the breeze and closing his eyes. Just barely, nearly impossible for him to detect, the scent of warm vanilla rode the air. Just below that, the smell of fresh rain mingled with the earthy, decaying scent of the forest floor. Though faint, the smells were unmistakable and somehow helped to set his mind at ease, though they should have only further frightened him.

A patch of lightness separated it's self from the darkness of the shadows, stepping around a tree to enter Ichigo's field of vision. The wolf said nothing, his head lowered to be at eye level with Ichigo, his tail also held low. His golden eyes were flat but not lifeless, more like guarded as he edged closer before laying upon the forest floor, mere feet away from where Ichigo sat. Everything about the wolf spoke of weariness and wariness. There was none of the happiness Ichigo had seen in his dream to be found.

Ichigo shivered as he pulled his coat closer about his otherwise bare upper body. Pulling his knees up against his torso, he looked upon the giant wolf with wide eyes, feeling rather small at that moment. A gentle rustle from above drew his attention and he slowly raised his head to look into the branches of the tree he leaned against.

True to feline heritage, the enormous, godly jaguar was perched in the thick branches near the tree's trunk with perfect balance and ease. Vivid, crystalline blue eyes looked down at him, shining in the dark and otherwise lightless shadows of the forest. Without a sound, the jaguar dropped from the branches to land at Ichigo's side, only feet away from the boy.

The feline's nose twitched slightly as his ears dropped back but he didn't move closer. Finally, from his other side, the wolf spoke in a ghostly, haunting voice.

"Ya smell like 'im." The Winter wolf said, his voice low and lilting. Neither of the gods moved as they looked upon the human seated between them.

Unsure what to say, Ichigo remained quiet. His heart beat heavily in his chest, fast and steady. His gaze panned over to look at the white wolf. A very slight frown seemed to mar the beast's canine features, his eyes looking almost pained. The black jaguar held much the same expression, the bridge of his nose creased with his frown, the very tips of white fangs peeking from below feline lips.

It dawned on Ichigo that the two were afraid to believe the jackal was returning. They were unwilling to allow themselves that joy, fearful that after all this time, it wouldn't be true and they would be hurt again. But they also refused to leave Ichigo be, lest he really was to become the jackal of Summer's carrier and they would finally be reunited with their lost mate.

The thought made Ichigo's brow crease as a heaviness to match the two creatures' moods settled against his chest. Much as he had when they had first shown themselves to him, he ached for them, to see that deep sorrow erased from their gazes and the bitter rage scored from their broken hearts.

"He spoke to me...in a dream last night..." Ichigo's words wavered slightly with his shivering, his fingers beginning to go numb. He had long ago lost feeling in his toes, his shoes soaked with frigid water. He wrapped his arms around his legs as he looked from one god to the other. They knew who he spoke of, he could see it in their intense gazes. They waited for him to say more, to elaborate. "Why did you leave orchids in my room?"

From his left, the jaguar edged closer, his warm breath puffing out as a light steam in the air before his face. "They were his favorite." He said, his voice the sound of choppy waves against a jagged cliff; deep and rumbling and powerful.

In contrast, the wolf's voice was icy and chilling, wintery like he was. "An' purple was 'is favorite color."

Ichigo smiled, thinking about what the jackal had told him while he slept. The dead god had only confirmed what he had already believed. "Yeah, mine too."

"You remind us of him." The Jaguar said quietly, his voice carrying on the crisp, fall wind. On his other side, the wolf's big head nodded in agreement.

Ichigo jolted in surprise as a low purring filled the quiet, so close he could nearly feel it vibrate in the air. Jerking his head around, he stared into depthless blue as the jaguar resettled himself so that his large body curled around Ichigo's side. Ichigo shuddered at the warmth of the creature's body in contrast to the cold that had seeped into his own.

A smirk seemed to creep over the jaguar's features. "The advantages of having a fur coat." He said quietly, curling just a bit closer to the shivering human.

The wolf too edged closer, his padded feet crunching quietly through the leaves as he stood. His white tail swayed gently behind him as he sat beside Ichigo, looking down at the human with intelligent, inverted eyes.

"He'll be reborn in ya..." The Wolf sounded unsure, timid in a way Ichigo didn't think he should have been. These two were bold, powerful. They should have acted like it.

"Yes." Ichigo directed his gaze forward, away from the two gods at his sides and into the vast forest. He could have denied the jackal of Summer. He had been given the choice and he had known he would have to meet the two eventually. However, he hadn't expected it to be so soon, but now that he sat beside them, spoke to them and truly saw them for what they were, how could he deny the jackal? His shivering lessened as the jaguar's and the wolf's body heat wrapped around him. "What will happen to me?"

"Nothing will happen to you." The jaguar's confidence and steely determination rang like thunder in his rough voice, booming as if from the very heavens.

"Not e'er again." The wolf added, sounding just as sure. Their renewed tones seemed to fit them much more.

Ichigo smirked at the passion in their words, the promise. They hadn't really answered his question, but he still found it a bit easier to relax. Their promise was reassuring. The jackal would be reborn, but Ichigo wondered if perhaps the missing god's spirit had laid dormant in him for longer than he had realized, if perhaps he was a part of the Summer and the Summer a part of him. Nothing would happen to him. He would still be himself, but he would be more.

"What are your names?" Ichigo asked, still looking out into the forest. The names of the gods, the creatures the villagers had once worshipped, had become taboo to speak long ago and had been forgotten in the younger generations.

A quiet rumble accompanied a silvery chuckle. They were pleasant sounds, sounds that brought a smile to Ichigo's face. He had never hated the gods, nor thought them monsters. His grandmother had seen them when she was but a child and she had told Ichigo's mother about them, and his mother had in turn told him about them. The wolf and the jaguar weren't the blood thirsty beasts the elders proclaimed, they were only lost. But perhaps Ichigo could help them find themselves once more.

"I am called Grimmjow." The jaguar answered, the tip of his tail twitching where it curled behind and around Ichigo to settle possessively in the young man's lap. Ichigo smirked and ran his fingers over the appendage, feeling the silky smooth fur.

"An' I'm called Shirosaki." The wolf told him, finally settling down. He lowered his large body to the forest floor to curl around Ichigo's other side, ears held high and alert while his eyes trained on Ichigo's.

"What was the jackal's name?" Ichigo gently ran the finger tips of his other hand along the wolf's furred ears, feeling their warmth. Neither seemed to mind his touch and he supposed there really was no reason for them too, if he was to become the lost god, their mate.

"The Summer's name is now Ichigo." Shirosaki answered, his lilting voice frigid even in the already cool air, but his words didn't hold the chill his voice took on and his strange eyes were beginning to loose the flat, guarded look.

Ichigo frowned, his orange brows furrowing. "But I..." He removed his hands and motioned toward himself. "I'm still...and you're...the jackal was obviously a jackal..."

The wolf snorted a laugh, his white maw creasing in a wide smile. From Ichigo's other side, the jaguar too laughed. Their mirth was contagious and beautiful when compared to the sorrow and pain Ichigo had seen from them before.

Grimmjow finally elaborated. "You _are_ the jackal now, and you'll gain the ability to shift when the Summer fully awakens."

"When will that be?"

"After winter, durin' the next summer, a 'course." The wolf's lilting tone was amused and Ichigo looked over to see a splash of intense, almost frostbitten blue as Shirosaki spoke.

Ichigo felt his face warm up at the obvious answer. It made plenty of sense that the jackal of Summer would awaken during his own season. His face further reddened as another thought hit him; the jackal, now himself, was supposed to be the wolf's and the jaguar's mate...

"Do...Can you two change as well? To look human?" His discomfort seemed to go unnoticed as the air grew heavier and began to swirl with sorrow once more.

"We use ta." The Wolf said, his haunting gaze shifting to look at his remaining mate.

The Jaguar looked back at him. The silence stretched before both turned to look at Ichigo. Grimmjow finally spoke, his intense blue eyes nearly blinding in the dark shadows. "We can no longer shift into our human forms. The ability was lost with the jackal."

"Oh..." Ichigo all but whispered, unable to meet either of the two gods' gazes. "Will you be able to once I'm-once the jackal is reborn?"

"We dunno. A god's never been killed b'fore." Shirosaki answered.

Ichigo didn't like the sad atmosphere that had taken over them. The beginnings of joy and the small amount of healing he had seen only moments ago suited them much more. He longed to see real, genuine smiles on their features once again, the kind the jackal had seen, the ones from his dream. He was determined to bring that joy back. He longed to see it, to feel it and to revel in it.

••••••

As though the jaguar's mind had been preoccupied, the autumn had given way to winter early. Snow fell to blanket the village through out the night. Isshin was forced to give up the search for his son. The forest he had been sent into seemed empty. Covered with snow that drifted around the leafless trees, nothing stirred, not even the gods but he and his family refused to give up hope that Ichigo was alive.

The winter season was harsh, as it had been for as long as anyone could remember. The sky remained a lifeless grey. People were left buried in their homes for days at a time before they could dig themselves out. Cattle and livestock died. Masaki fell ill.

By mid-winter, she was bed ridden. Isshin did his best to take care of her and their daughters, praying that his son was somehow well and would find his way home. The twins picked up the house work to help their father. When the snow let up enough for the village doctor to visit, a man Isshin knew well enough and a man that knew even more about medicine than Isshin himself did, the doctor made the journey across the village.

What he found baffled him. After his exam, he left Masaki to rest in her bed, closing the door behind himself to join Isshin in the hall. The elder Kurosaki's features were grim, fore he already guessed what he would be told.

Shaking his head, the doctor spoke. "She fights, but I don't understand it. She should already be gone, Mr. Kurosaki... She fights hard against the sickness."

"She waits." Isshin said quietly, his gaze trained on the closed door of his bedroom.

"She waits." The doctor nodded slightly. He took his leave soon after. Masaki's time was up, but she clung on in the hopes that she would see her son one last time. She fought hard in that hope, the way only a mother could.

As the snow slowly let up and the heavy clouds began to break with the inevitable onset of spring, Karin took up her brother's role. She and Isshin began working the earth of their small field and garden while her twin watched over their mother. Their hope was running low. Even had the gods not gotten to Ichigo, what were the chances of him surviving the winter alone in the forest? He was chocked up as just another missing boy in the eyes of the villagers; both by those responsible and those who weren't.

The spring season heated up swiftly, melting away the winter and bringing about it's fertility as Mother Nature undid her children's doings. The grasses grew green. The flowers bloomed and the birds sang. Insects buzzed and while the nights and mornings still clung to the winter's bitter and unrelenting chill, the days seemed far more welcoming than they had in generations. The change was odd. The villager's rejoiced and life moved on.

On one particularly clear morning, toward the tail end of spring and close to when the summer should have begun taking over, Karin dropped her tools and rolled the sleeves of her light jacket up. Her father had run inside to bring them something to drink after being hard at work since the dawn. Dirt smeared across her young face, Karin heaved a sigh and scowled out at the tree line in the distance, not really looking at anything in particular but still unable to give up looking all the same. Not a day went by that she didn't think about her missing brother.

They had thought to continue their search for Ichigo as the seasons heated up. Nothing was said allowed, but they all knew it was a hopeless endeavor. The forest, even green and almost inviting looking with the season's miraculous change, would not give up what it wanted to keep. And now, with Masaki ill, Isshin and his daughters wished to spend as much time as she had left by her side.

Karin sighed and turned to look back toward the house, wondering where her old man was, before turning back toward the forest and the field she had been tilling. Something bright caught her attention and she smiled bitterly to herself as her mind instantly connected the vivid orange to her brother. What a cruel joke the gods must have been playing. Perhaps Ichigo had been wrong about them all this time after all. Then she froze, eyes widening with disbelief as her gaze shot back to what had caught her attention.

"Ichi-nii..?"

••••••

Ichigo watched with a small smirk tilting his lips as the jaguar's big paw batted absentmindedly at the wolf's slowly wagging tail. It seemed so natural, that small spark of mischief between them, that bit of returning playfulness. Neither seemed to notice what they were doing as the lay quietly upon the ground, curled around the human in their midst. Ichigo felt pitifully small when compared to the large creatures they took the shape of, yet he wasn't uncomfortable with it. Quite the opposite, really. It was somehow calming, comforting. They were warm and inviting, protective and strong, all things opposite of what the elders had been teaching.

He didn't know how long they had sat there, but he only vaguely wondered at it. The forest had a strange feel to it, something not quite normal, but then, it was the home of gods. On an instinctive level, Ichigo knew he sat in the first forest, but his mind didn't so much as conjure the words to tell him that as it did implant a subtle, almost familiar feel. He no longer sat in the forest that surrounded his village, not really. Instead he had accompanied the gods home, but like them, the forest Mother Spring had nurtured for them had begun to whither and die, to grow cold and bitter.

Brows furrowing slightly, Ichigo looked off into the distance, seeing nothing but trees and shadows. He wondered how his family faired, he hoped they weren't wondering through the dense forest in search. He had become lost within minutes of loosing sight of the edge. The forest wasn't natural and it kept what it wanted. He knew there would be no leaving if the gods and their sacred forest deemed it so.

"Will I ever get to see my family again?" He couldn't help but ask. If anyone knew the answer, it was the two he kept company with.

Shirosaki huffed a sound of incomprehension, like it was utterly unthinkable. Or perhaps like the question had been. "Tch. Wha' ya think we're cruel, er somethin'?"

The feline's paw came down harder than it had been, hooked claws unsheathing and digging at the Wolf's tail. Shirosaki yelped his surprise. Grimmjow's blue eyes narrowed on his mate as he spoke. "All humans think us cruel."

"Not all." Ichigo told them. "I don't. My mother doesn't."

Only minutes later, Ichigo was walking between the two large creatures as they traversed through the forest. The biting wind seemed to fall away before it was replaced by a fresh breeze that smelled light and flowery. The sky above lightened and the longer they walked, the more the shadows seemed to lessen. Flowers began to bloom before their very eyes; purples, pinks, blues, a myriad of vibrant and beautiful colors. The trees budded with new, healthy green leaves. Ichigo looked around in wonder while the wolf and the jaguar smirked and chuckled at his awe. In perfect unison born of their long lived union, they turned toward each other slightly as they walked, one to either side of Ichigo. Meeting in front of the human, the jaguar's head nudged lightly against the wolf's muzzle while the canine's frostbitten tongue peeked out to graze the feline's nose.

Ichigo smiled at the affectionate display before once more turning his gaze around them and at the returning life that had only moments ago been nothing but bare trees and cold ground.

"Are you two doing this?" Ichigo asked as he looked at the beauty around them. Never had he seen such a thing, or even heard of it. It looked more and more like the forest had in his dreams, like it was supposed to look.

"Nah." Shirosaki shook his head, a wide smile that showed rows of vicious teeth on his canine features. "We don' really participate in this aspect."

"Mother Spring controls rebirth and life. The Summer, growth and vitality." Grimmjow explained from the young man's other side. His padded footfalls were silent on the forest floor. "We control the darker, but equally necessary aspects. Aging and decay are mine. Death and purification for the Winter."

The jaguar's words were accompanied by a lilting, wintery laughter, the wolf's breath chilly against Ichigo's hand as Shirosaki nudged his cold nose under the young man's fingers, seeking his attention as he had Grimmjow's only moments ago. Ichigo happily ran his fingers through the thick, soft fur behind the wolf's ear.

"She's welcomin' ya home." Shiro put in, his tail swishing happily behind him.

Ichigo smiled as he curled his fingers through the wolf's long coat. He truly felt welcomed, like he was always meant to be beside the wolf and the jaguar. As if just as happy as he was, the jaguar gently butted his big head into Ichigo's side to show his affection in a feline manner. Ichigo laughed as they continued walking, a bright smile on his face.

Despite how lost Ichigo had been upon first entering the forest, it didn't take long for them to reach the edge and he was beginning to realize that, while the gods didn't necessarily control the forest, it still bowed to them and their whims. After all, it had been created for them. It had trapped intruders and left them to their deaths in the bowls of the forest, keeping the godly creatures from being hunted down long ago or disturbed when they sought the solitude it offered them. He wondered if it would do the same for him and as if with his thought, he stepped through the tree line to look across his family's small patch of ground used for crops and toward his home.

The autumn was over, winter too. Spring was in full season, taking a turn toward the warmth of summer, but it had only been the tail end of fall when he had been brought to the forest. Shocked, he looked around. Like in the heart of the forest, the trees were growing new leaves and flowers were beginning to spring to life. Orchids had been planted in the garden, his favorite. There was something sad about that but it made him smile all the same. The field was in the process of being tilled so that his father could tend to the crops and in the very center, staring back at him with a mix of surprise and confusion, stood one of his younger sisters.

"Ichi-nii...?" Karin asked as the tool she'd been using fell to the ground.

A large smile morphed on Ichigo's features as he took off across the field, uncaring of the mud and trod through, splashing it across his pants.

"Ichi-nii!" Karin all but shouted. Her voice had a worried Isshin and Yuzu flying out the backdoor, only to freeze upon seeing Ichigo. The young man was crushed into tight, disbelieving embraces as his family pulled him close, like they were afraid he wouldn't be real.

"Ichigo, my son...how did you get out?" Isshin pulled his boy back to arm's length, looking him up and down, but still he didn't let go. His boy's hair had grown some, not much, a few inches maybe. Enough to be noticeable and he was beginning to fill out, looking less like a child and more like a man.

Ichigo smiled at his father. "I had help." He said as he turned back toward the tree line. He swept his arm out just as two large and imposing figures crossed the border into the Kurosaki land and out of the forest. The gods strode forward unafraid and regal, their heads held high and proud for the first time in generations. They walked right up to sit at Ichigo's side, close to him but not in the way of his family.

Before the shock of seeing the two dangerous gods walk up to the younger Kurosaki male could wear away, Ichigo frowned. "Where's mother at?"

Neither Karin, Yuzu or Isshin said anything for a few moments. They stood in silence and looked at Ichigo before his father finally spoke in a somber tone. "She's been very sick, son...she's in bed, but you should probably go see her."

"W-what? What do you mean sick?" When no one answered him, Ichigo's eyes widened and he took off for the house, leaving his sisters, father and the two gods outside.

Isshin protectively hugged his daughters close to his sides as he looked from one large creature to the other. They seemed off somehow, different from the last time he had seen them, when he had charged into the street after his boy as Ichigo had defended them against the villagers. "You brought Ichigo back to us..." His words were laced with both gratitude and slight hesitation.

Blue eyes met inverted golden. They both nodded as they looked back to the humans addressing them. "We have."

"But he's...he's to be the jackal, isn't he?"

"He is already the jackal's carrier." The jaguar spoke in his deep, rumbling voice.

"He'll become the Summer wit' the changin' of the season." The wolf finished.

"Will we get to see him again?" Isshin couldn't believe what he was hearing, but somehow he wasn't surprised. He had had his suspicions. His son had always seemed a bit different when compared to the rest of the village children and after the months of his absence, Isshin had had plenty of time to think about all that had happened leading up to his disappearance. Ichigo would make a fine god, a perfect carrier for the kind hearted and loving jackal of Summer.

"Tha's up ta 'im."

Sitting on the edge of his mother's bed, Ichigo took her hand in one of his own as she smiled up at him. When he had walked in, she hadn't thought him real and when he had sat down, she had nearly started crying. Now they spoke.

"The jaguar and the wolf brought you home?" She asked, the surprise obvious in her voice. She had always recognized their cruelty for the grief that it had been, but it was nearly unheard of for them to help anyone. Only tales of long ago, before their mate had been taken from them, told of such deeds.

Ichigo nodded, willing his tears away so that his dying mother wouldn't have to see her son cry.

"What are they like?"

"You were right about them." Ichigo told her, a small smile finding his features. "They are much kinder than the elders say, loving even. Grimmjow, the jaguar, has a deep voice like his black coat and Shirosaki, the wolf, sounds like the winter wind."

And so he told his mother everything about them he could. He told her about how they had feared to believe he was to be the jackal, about how when they finally did give in to that hope, they had lain with him, kept him warm while they spoke. All the while, Masaki lay quietly in her bed and listened to all that her son said. She fought back tears of her own but they weren't of sorrow. She was overjoyed that her son was alright and that he would remain that way, and most of all, she was happy for the love she could see already beginning to form in his endless brown eyes when he spoke of the two.

"Would you like to meet them?" Ichigo asked after he had finished telling his mother about the two. She smiled and nodded. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, somehow knowing he was connected to them and they to him. It only took a single thought before two massive shapes, one of black, the other of white, began to materialize in the bedroom before Ichigo. He didn't need to explain to the gods who lay beside him, and he had already given his mother their names.

"Thank you, Ichigo. Why don't you go see your sisters and father for a while?" Masaki asked him, her voice soft and understanding.

Ichigo's brows furrowed and he swallowed around the lump in his throat, but he did as she asked and left the wolf and the jaguar with her.

The moment the door closed behind the orange haired young man, the two gods drew closer to the bed, the floor of the upstairs bedroom creaking slightly under their weight. They sat before Ichigo's mother and bowed their heads as a sign of respect. Simultaneously, they both thanked Masaki and she understood that they thanked her for Ichigo, for how he had been raised and for the love she held for her child. The words weren't needed. She was close enough to death that she could hear them as they spoke to her without sound.

"You will take care of him?" She asked, looking at the two. She received twin nods and she knew it to be the truth. She smiled and with the last of her strength, she thanked them and asked that they tell her son she loved him.

With their inhuman hearing, that of the creatures they took the forms of, the two heard as her heart stopped gave out, just before the door slowly, quietly creaked open. They sat still, unmoving as they looked upon Masaki's body. They knew who had entered and they knew that Isshin understood what had happened.

"She held on so long in the hopes of seeing him again...thank you for this..." Isshin's voice was barely above a whisper as he pushed the words out, his vision blurred through his welling tears.

"Mother Spring will look after her now." The jaguar nudged his black nose against Masaki's hand before he stood and, followed by his mate, disappeared from the room.

Isshin sat beside his wife and wept.

Masaki was buried the next morning. The gathering was small, only Isshin, the twins and Ichigo. The gods stood watch over the family, fathomless, cold blue and heated, burning gold cast outward. Their presence after so long of their absence drew the attention of the villagers, and with it, their fear.

After the younger Kurosaki male had been sacrificed to the forest, neither beast had been seen. Months had passed in peace. The harsh winter had finally broke, giving way to the life giving spring as Mother Nature tried to undo what her children had done. Now spring was nearly over. The nights were warm, the days sunny and life giving for the first time since before the memory of most, and now the killing gods were back.

But they didn't attack as people began to draw around them, nor did they show aggression. The jaguar looked as regal as ever, his mate, the wolf, just as fierce, yet no longer did their fear inspiring gazes whisper a cold death. Their heads were held high, their features relaxed and the snarling that had come to be associated with them was silent.

The two sat still, watching the villagers, the descendants of those that had once worshipped them. The day slid into evening and the sun sank below the horizon, yet still they stood watch, unmoving and unmovable, silent guardians. The next day was intended to be celebrated as the first day of summer, a day that had once warranted a large feast and festival, as had the first day of all the season, and as the sun once more rose into the sky and dawn broke, Ichigo was drawn forth, compelled by that which was beginning to awaken within him.

Called by the silent summons of the gods and of the Mother herself, Ichigo joined the jackal and the wolf as they slowly made their way into what had once been the center of town, the temple that now stood abandoned and uncared for.

Isshin, Karin and Yuzu followed behind, confused and a little worried, but they understood somewhere in their hearts. As the village awakened, the people began taking notice of the gods' movements and they whispered and pointed as Ichigo, the boy they had sacrificed and thought dead, came into view.

By midday, the entire village was gathered, everyone watching, waiting to see what would happen. Ichigo heard their whispers, their fears and their suspicions, as did the gods. But none of it mattered and as the sun reached the very highest point in the sky and the season officially shifted from Spring to Summer, the jackal was reborn.

Ichigo gasped, his breath catching in his chest as burning pain pierced his heart. Isshin surged forward, worried for his son. He'd just lost his wife and he would not allow Ichigo to be taken from them again, but he was halted as icy blue and fiery gold turned his way. There was no threat, no malice in their gazes, only love and reassurance. It set Isshin's mind at ease in an instant and he paused, watching as Ichigo doubled over, clutching at his chest.

As the young man fell to his knees upon the top of the old temple's stairs, the wolf and the jaguar took a step back and away from him, giving him space as the jackal's spirt swirled into being, light and dancing and smelling of orchid. Hardly visible, the giant jackal's form curled around Ichigo like a mist, a soft smile on his ghostly features. His warm gaze was cast over his mates, longing and love overtaking his sorrow, then he looked to Ichigo, the boy that would be his new carrier, the young man that would become the god of Summer. Ichigo looked back with wide eyes.

The ghostly spirit stopped his dancing, fluttery movements and came to sit before Ichigo, his head bowed slightly. He pushed his elegant muzzle against the underside of Ichigo's chin, raising the young man's head slightly in a gesture of wordless promise. A small smile twitched to life on Ichigo's features and, still on his knees, he reached out to settle his hand upon the spirit's forehead, feeling soft fur under his fingers and a lively warmth. The jackal closed his eyes, eyes that nearly matched Ichigo's.

In a flash of light that could have rivaled that of lightening in the dark of night, the spirit disappeared and Ichigo's head snapped back, his eyes cast toward the sun as his hand fell back to his side. The pain in his chest lessened until it was no longer pain, but the beat of a strong, steady heart. The rich brown of his irises flashed bright like they captured the lightening, the rounded pupils elongating slightly before he slowly cast his vision back out at the gathered villagers, his head lowering.

He gave the nervous expressions of his family a small smile and nod, letting them know he was alright, that everything was alright. Then his sharp gaze fell on the gods where the wolf and jaguar sat in tense, waiting silence. The moment his gaze found them, Shirosaki's tail began to wag so hard his whole body wiggled and a deep purr rumbled from Grimmjow, silencing the few murmurs from the villagers. Their excitement rivaled that of when they had been but pups, before they had known loss, before they had grown bitter.

Ichigo's vision blurred with welling tears as he felt the jackal's joy, now his own happiness. As he choked out an overjoyed sob, the wolf and the jaguar surged forward, nearly knocking Ichigo the rest of the way to the ground as they lavished him with their renewed affection. A frostbitten tongue felt unnaturally chilled against his bare skin and the jaguar pressed close, driving his big head into Ichigo's chest in a feline display. Ichigo wrapped his arms around the jaguar's thick neck and buried his face in white fur. The young man, now the reborn jackal of Summer, laughed, a wide smile on his features as happiness and love coursed through his heart and mind.

* * *

**One more chapter to go, what do you guys think of this one?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**This story has been tons of fun to write and while I'm not terribly happy with this particular chapter (it's really tough for me to write happy stuff... ), I'm quite proud of the story as a whole. I hope you guys have enjoyed the ride!  
**

**Enjoy~  
**

* * *

A grand celebration was thrown in honor of the returning jackal and the season he commanded. A feast was prepared in the name of the gods that had once been so very lost made whole again. A tradition that had been abandoned long ago, the villagers rejoiced in the old temple, gathered around two beastly gods and one that still wore the guise of a young man. They praised the creatures before them, offering food and conversation rather than children. They begged forgiveness, pleaded for the gods to understand. In answer, they received only silence and the commanding gaze of frigid blue and chaotic gold. Neither the jaguar nor the wolf said a word as they sat upon the dais that had been carved in their names and looked out at the gathered people, the descendants of those that had worshiped them as well as had abandoned them.

It was Ichigo, the boy that had become a god, who spoke when all fell silent and the atmosphere grew thick and heavy. Looking out with warmth and wisdom in his deep, brown eyes, he sat between Grimmjow and Shirosaki, dwarfed in size for the moment, but he was certainly no less than them. He told the villagers in a calm and gentle voice that there was no excuse for the actions that had played out and been taken so long ago. He told them once more that life was to be cherished, that children were sacred beyond themselves and that the gods had never and would never ask for such a thing. He told them that they were short-lived and mortal and that they would do well in holding onto their humanity and humility, but he also told them that they need not ask for the gods' forgiveness, for the jaguar, the wolf and the jackal had never been cruel and nor were they now.

When Ichigo had fallen silent, still looking out into the gathered crowd, at the faces that looked back at him, small smiles had curled onto the features of the other two gods. Their mate was truly back and his new carrier was perfect, both in mind and spirit. The boy known as Ichigo was a perfect fit for the god known as the jackal. Still holding their animal forms, they affectionately curled about their returned mate. Ichigo too smiled and ran his hand down the jaguar's muscled neck, over his strong shoulders. His other hand toyed with thick white fur as the villagers began eating and drinking in celebration. With the lightening of the two beastly gods' demeanors, so too did the mood of the gathered people lift and the tense air disintegrated.

The atmosphere was light and alive, more so than it had been in years, in generations. Gone were the heavy storm clouds that had marked the gods' grief and gone was the maddening sorrow that had reigned in their intense eyes and shadowed their hearts. The overwhelming loss that had weighed down their lithe bodies and blackened their minds no longer settled on strong shoulders. The one thing that had not retreated with the jackal's return, however, was the memory of that day so long ago and it showed as both the wolf and the jaguar remained ever alert through out the celebration.

Their keen gazes searched the gathered villagers, seeking out a hidden danger that would steal from them their mate once more, a hidden danger that would cruelly tear them apart and seek to break them before they were fully healed. A hard gleam showed in brilliant blue and molten gold, like the Winter god had played some part in freezing over their expressive gazes. It brought tears to Ichigo's eyes as he felt not only his own sorrow at the display, but the vivid emotions and pain from the jackal's memories. When he had accepted the jackal's spirit, he had also accepted the lost god's experiences. He remembered everything as though it had been him, as though he had always been the jackal, and he remembered the way his two distraught mates had circled him, protected him, mourned for him. He remembered their parting actions and words and he remembered the raw horror and pain in their eyes, a pain that far exceeded the physical pain he had felt from the sword as it had struck his beating heart.

Ichigo swallowed back his tears and turned away from the crowd, his appetite gone. He turned so that he faced the massive jaguar and the equally large wolf and watched as their ears swiveled and their eyes panned about the room to take in everything, looking the picture of powerful and immortal guardians.

"Grimmjow. Shirosaki."

But the moment he spoke, his voice quiet and barely there, two beastly gazes slid to his form as the wolf and the jaguar gave their returned mate their undivided attention without hesitation.

"He's gone." Ichigo whispered, hardly loud enough to carry over the din of the crowd. His connection with them ran deep and he knew they would hear him with ease. "He's gone and he's not coming back and nothing will separate us again."

Feline brows furrowed while the wolf's ears lowered as the two said nothing for a moment, simply taking in their long lost mate. As their silence began taking an edge of heaviness, the two beastly gods glanced to one another as they had done countless times before, a silent conversation being waged between them. Their eyes locked for just a split second and Ichigo watched as they both struggled to push away their fears and paranoia, before a smirk slid onto the jaguar's features and a wide grin bared the wolf's massive fangs, dispelling the heavy air.

"We believe you." Grimmjow rumbled as he climbed to his feet in a single fluid motion. He butted his head lightly against Ichigo's chest as Shirosaki also stood.

"Don' mean we're lettin' ya leave our sight, though." The wolf told him as he affectionately coated Ichigo's cheek in cool slobber.

Ichigo squeaked out a laugh, trying to get away from the massive creature's almost cold tongue. Tripping in the process, he stumbled into the equally large jaguar, who proceeded to side step and let him fall the rest of the way to the ground, though much more gently than he would have had Grimmjow not allowed Ichigo to use him for balance first.

Located in front of the old temple, sitting upon the dais above the rest of the patrons, Ichigo began laughing anew as he landed on his rump, the two larger creatures eagerly joining him, laying to be at his level. A small wrestling match ensued, the last of Grimmjow's and Shirosaki's fears being chased away, at least for the moment, with the echos of heartbreak that had marred Ichigo's mind only minutes ago. The play wasn't nearly as rough as what Ichigo had witnessed in his dream not long ago, nor as much so as in the memories of other play battles he now held from the jackal's previous life. The wolf and the jaguar were very aware that their returned mate was still within his human body, so they were gentle and saved their teeth and claws for each other, but the interaction was no less playful and joyous. It was even loving in an innocent and pure way, in a youthful way as it had been when they were young and had yet to know sorrow.

The celebration was still going on in full around them, a few of the villagers having stopped to happily watch the oddly amusing yet almost sweet display, such a far cry from the hollow, anger filled displays the two had put on in the recent past. After a few minutes, Ichigo managed to get the upper hand, though he knew it was only because the other two gave him a handy-cap for being in his human form, a form neither of them could take since before Ichigo had become the jackal.

Breathing a little harder than normal from the exertion he had put forth, Ichigo's attention was pulled away from the play as Grimmjow ceased wrestling. The massive black jaguar didn't bother climbing to his feet, but his big head raised, his vivid blue eyes piercing as they redirected away from his mates and toward the man that approached them. His ears flattened slightly, his front paws crossing as his slim tail twitched a few times. A flash of protective aggression made the crystalline color of his gaze look hard and stormy for a moment, like the clouds that blackened the sky during the colder seasons, but as a small smile creased the approaching man's lips, the look softened a little.

Ichigo looked away from Grimmjow to see his father standing before the dais they were now spread out upon. Laying flat beside him, Shirosaki's tail waggled against the floor slightly and his blue tongue lolled from his mouth in a wide smile. Ichigo patted his side fondly before standing and approaching his father.

The young man, now the jackal, hopped down from the raised platform and stood before his human father. Isshin searched his features for a few silent heart beats. The older man's own features were set but not angry, merely controlled, but his emotions showed well enough in his dark eyes.

"Ichigo...my son..." Isshin seemed to hesitate slightly, like he was unsure if he could still call his boy that, if Ichigo was still his son.

The reborn jackal nodded. "I'm still Ichigo, father. I'm still the son you raised. It's-it's hard to explain, but I'm still me. I still have all the same memories and thoughts, I just have the Summer's memories too...of the seasons, of the world before the village...of m-my death..." Ichigo turned to look over his shoulder. "and of them." He looked back to his father, a happy smile tugging at his lips and shining in his molten, warm gaze. "I've become the Summer."

"Oh Ichigo." Isshin wrapped his arms around his son in a tight, fatherly hug. "I'm so proud of you, son. So proud and so relieved. I can see how happy they make you and how happy you make them. You'll be a fine Summer."

"Thank you, father." Ichigo all but whispered as Isshin pulled him back to arm's length to look down at him.

"Will we ever see you again?"

Ichigo smiled. He glanced around at the gathered villagers for a moment, at the feast and celebration they had eagerly put together after the jackal was reborn. Then he looked back to his father and Isshin could have sworn he saw a flash of jackal-like mischief in his son's deep eyes. "You can't get rid of me that easily, dad. Make sure you help Yuzu cook when we come over though, I bet they eat a lot." He motioned behind himself with his thumb, to the giant wolf and jaguar watching them.

Isshin erupted in laughter, clapping his hand over his son's shoulder. "It's a deal son, it's a deal."

Still laying upon the dais, Shirosaki let out a quiet, huffing whimper of impatience as he shifted, still flat on his side, his neck stretched out and his head turned to look at the jackal. A few feet away from him, a smirk stretched across Grimmjow's feline features as his icy gaze drifted away from Ichigo and to the wolf.

Just as Shirosaki was about to climb to his feet, Grimmjow shifted over and dropped a little harder than necessary to half lay across the wolf's ribcage. The Winter god grunted as the cat's weight pushed him back to the ground.

"Wha' was tha' for?" He asked, his lilting tone taking a bit of a growling edge.

"Patience, Shiro." Grimmjow rumbled, wiggling a bit to make himself comfortable. He ended up with one foreleg crossed over the wolf's abdomen, his big head resting upon his own paw.

"Tch, but he's finally back..." The wolf whined like a shrill winter breeze, ears falling slightly from their alert position.

Grimmjow smirked again. "And he's not going anywhere this time. Patience. The humans are short lived, let him enjoy his time with his sire for a few minutes."

Shirosaki huffed again and curled his lip in displeasure but he lay still all the same, letting his keen, gold on black eyes watch over his returned mate. Still half laying atop him, Grimmjow's subtle but deep purr reverberated through his own chest as well as the wolf's ribcage. They would watch over their long lost mate. They would ensure the jackal of Summer would be safe and protected for as long as the gods stood, and they were already falling in love with Ichigo.

Later that evening, as the sun once more began sinking toward the horizon, the celebration began dwindling as villagers began returning to their homes. Ichigo smirked, stretching his arms above his head and arching his back as the giant wolf lounging beside him yawned, flashing white fangs and a darkly colored tongue. He stood, knowing without a word being said that it was time for them to return home, to return to the forest the gods and now himself called their own.

The wolf and the jaguar followed his lead and the three walked side by side back to Ichigo's family home, his father and sisters with them. The young man gave his father a hug, his sisters too, bidding them to be good while he was away and promising that he'd come back soon. Then he stopped by his mother's grave, where he stood in silence for a few moments before telling her that he loved her too and thanked her for always having faith in the grieving gods, the creatures that he became so attached to.

With the massive wolf and jaguar at his sides, Ichigo turned and walked back into the forest he had been lost in before. Unlike the first time he'd entered, there was no fear in his heart; not of what would happen, not for his family, not of the forest itself and certainly not of his brethren, his mates, the gods.

The forest welcomed him. It welcomed all of them and it seemed to rejoice in their unity. They were three pieces made whole once more and it showed in every aspect of the trees around, of the growing grasses and flowers, of the leaves and even the insects that buzzed through the warm, fresh scented air. Mother Spring, even though her season had given way to the jackal's, was rejoicing in the return of her lost child and Ichigo felt as though his own human mother sat beside her. He could almost see her smile, feel it as she looked upon them and the joy coursing through the three.

"I have missed you." Ichigo finally whispered, his voice quiet like the gentle breeze as it floated between the trees and fluttered the leaves. Though it seemed strange to be speaking for and as the jackal, it also felt natural, right. He was the jackal, and he was Ichigo. He was both, but more importantly, he was happy and it was the truth that he spoke. Something he never realized was missing seemed to fill a pit somewhere inside him that he had never noticed needed filling until it had been, until whatever it was was there and he felt complete.

To his left, the winter wolf's lilting chuckle caressed the air like the last snowflake of the season. "We know. An' we've missed ya as well."

The Summer's lips slanted into a small, but pleasant and joyful smile. He patted the wolf's broad shoulders, noting that even though he was coated in the thick, heavy fur expected of a creature living in a permanently frozen environment, Shirosaki neither felt too warm nor acted as though he was uncomfortable with the hotter temperature of summer.

At his other side, the massive jaguar turned stunning, almost painfully blue eyes his direction. The Autumn's black coat shimmered in the dappled sunlight filtering between the tree branches, flawless and smooth and hinting at a blue tint. His strides were long and graceful, silent like his heritage demanded. His body language spoke of ease and a peace the large creature had not seen in too long yet the look he turned to Ichigo was one of masked helplessness. "Does it hurt?"

Ichigo frowned his confusion at the cat's deep voice, glancing over at Shirosaki before returning his gaze to Grimmjow and shaking his head slightly. "Does what hurt? I don't understand..."

"When you were wounded...before you...died...you were-"

"Ya were in so much pain..." Shirosaki finished for his mate, understanding what the jaguar wished to ask. "An' there was nothin' we could do..."

"Oh..." Ichigo's unhurried, leisurely steps paused, his brows furrowing slightly as the memory of how the Summer had been killed leapt to the forefront of his mind. It was a painful memory, he had been wounded both physically and emotionally, but that had happened a long time ago. It was finally over and things were set right once more. Ichigo smiled slightly and looked from one to the other. "No, it doesn't hurt any longer and I don't blame you. You were there, you were with me while I endured the pain. That was all I needed. I knew you would never leave me."

There was no need for confirmation, no need to make promises to reassure his mates that what he said was true. There were no lies between the gods, all that bound them together was far too strong for such things. So when Ichigo spoke, when he told them they needn't fret or worry over what had happened, Shirosaki and Grimmjow believed him and they banished what had been scratching around inside there skulls for so long, making room for a reawakening of all that they had once been.

No longer would they be the cruel, murderous beasts they were before, but true gods and guardians of what they had once cared for and now were capable of caring for once more. The grief had been lifted from their souls and though neither of the three gods would ever forget what had happened and the villagers would ever remember the dark times that had befallen them following the death of the jackal, they put all that behind them and rejoiced that their mate was returned. They let go of what had happened and did not dwell on it in the way only long lived, godly beings could do.

The three continued their peaceful walk for a while longer, listening to the hum of life around them, enjoying the smell of healthy growth. The Summer was back and so his season rose once more, giving life to all around and returning balance to the forest. Ichigo looked about the forest, watched as a small rabbit hopped into their path for a moment before disappearing back into the thick underbrush that lined their trail, a path that seemed to open up and clear before his eyes. While he did nothing consciously, he knew all this was because of him. It was a part of him. He was warmth and life and vitality and he shared it with everything around him when it was his turn to command the seasons.

As if life had been returned to the Winter and the Autumn as well, the two moved in near perfect sync as a wide, mischievous grin spread across the wolf's pale lips. Grimmjow's blue eyes narrowed at the wolf but a playful smirk curled his dark features as well, recognizing the wolf's playful streak for what it was. Just as Shirosaki lunged, crossing in front of Ichigo, the feline god's dark ears flattened and he jerked back slightly.

The wolf's powerful jaws snapped shut, closing around nothing but air with enough force to echo through the trees. Ichigo's eyes widened slightly before he burst into laughter as Grimmjow snarled and bared his teeth at the wolf. A manic, lilting laughter escaped the frosty god as he took off at a sprinting pace, the jaguar on his heels.

"Ya better be on my side this time!" Shirosaki called back, turning slightly to look behind himself and Grimmjow. A big black paw swatted at his fleeing backside and the wolf yelped as he turned his gaze back in front of himself to continue.

Ichigo laughed and gave chase but he shook his head as he watched the two tear through the trees at a pace he couldn't hope to match. "I don't think I'll be helping either of you!" He called back, a wide smile on his boyishly handsome features.

Grimmjow's deep voiced purred out a laugh that rumbled through the trees as he closed in on the mate he'd been chasing after. Shirosaki's strange, gold on black eyes widened as he looked backward once more and spun toward the jaguar, his claws digging furrows into the loosely packed earth and kicking dirt into the air as he decided to defend himself rather than flee. Grimmjow pounced, landing upon the wolf with all the strength and weight of a powerful hunting cat and god.

Shirosaki was driven to the ground with a grunt as the two skidded under Grimmjow's force, but even through the snarling and tugging, neither aimed to hurt the other and it held no malice or anger. Nothing but an air of playfulness surrounded the two massive creatures. A happiness that hadn't been seen in generations permeated the very air and wrapped around the trees like the light breeze.

"Shift, Ichigo." Grimmjow said, looking over as Ichigo finally reached them. He half sat, half crouched over the prone wolf, one massive paw holding the Winter's muzzle to the ground so that Shirosaki couldn't close those imposing fangs around the Autumn's flesh. "Else Shiro looses again. Have you ever beaten me?" Grimmjow chuckled as he looked down at the struggling wolf.

The wolf snarled and attempted to kick his mate off but didn't go anywhere. Ichigo shook his head and sat down cross-legged beside him, watching with much amusement as they struggled and played.

"Yer really not ganna help me?" Shirosaki turned large, rounded puppy eyes over to Ichigo, his brows raised and his ears hanging slightly in a pitifully effective attempt to make their returned mate feel sympathetic.

Of course it worked, Ichigo had always been kind hearted and sympathetic toward those who deserved it and the jackal had been known for the very same. "I don't know how... I remember everything from before I was killed, but I don't know how to change...that part's just...blank..."

"That's because it's instinctive. It doesn't require thought." Grimmjow rumbled, shifting his position slightly. As a result, he pulled his big paw away from the wolf's maw, consequently releasing him.

Shirosaki took full advantage of his renewed mobility and surged to his feet, throwing Grimmjow off as he did so. With a maddening chuckle and a wide grin, blue tongue lolling from his mouth, he spun and turned the tables, bringing Grimmjow to the warm, soft bed of forest floor.

As Grimmjow had taunted, the Winter wolf had yet to actually win a match between them. The jaguar used his feline agility and fluid grace to his advantage and quickly slipped from the wolf's grasp, putting Shirosaki on the defensive again.

When the wolf took off again, running through and darting between the trees, Grimmjow took only a split second to turn to his still human bound mate with a telling grin before he raced off after the wolf, deeper into their forest home. "Come along, Ichigo. He really is going to need your help. I owe him."

Ichigo sighed and gave a helpless chuckle at his situation but he couldn't help but chase after them to the best of his ability. He was compelled to, everything in him wanted to join in, wanted to race gracefully through the underbrush and sing through the forest meant only for them, the forest that had been nurtured to become their home. So that's what he did and as he ran, watching the two godly creatures pull further away and wishing he could match their grace and speed, a strange but not unwelcomed feeling of freedom and subtle, gentle power began to settle over him. It consumed him and filled his senses, heightening them to the point that he could hear, see, smell all that was around him with perfect clarity.

It amazed Ichigo and he didn't understand at first, but he realized he was gaining ground on the two he raced after and he began to understand. Without consciously trying, without even thinking about it, long legs began changing, shifting into powerful, elegant limbs that sailed with ease over the uneven terrane. Two became four, his swift movements balanced and guided by an almost fluffy, black tipped tail. Lean muscle rippled below brilliant, shining fur. Golden ears swiveled back in a happy expression as a wide and overjoyed smile spread Ichigo's now canine features. His paws hit the ground with hardly a sound as he sailed toward his mates, his fathomless brown eyes bright.

At his swift approach, both wolf and jaguar looked up. Their battle was forgotten as Ichigo leapt toward them and sailed through the air to land in their midst. He all but pranced around them, his steps light and dancing as he laughed. Tails wagged and a deep purr emanated through the forest, drowning out the buzz of insects. An almost cold tongue quickly wet the fur covering his muzzle as Shirosaki happily showed his affection and joy, his wide grin only growing all the wider. Grimmjow rubbed against the jackal with enough strength to nearly knock Ichigo to the ground, just as happy as his mates.

Nothing of the pain and sorrow that had plagued the mourning gods was left. Their hearts and minds were light and soared like they were meant to. Their mate was back, and now he could shift to be like them, to run and to play and rule the forest with them as was always meant to be.

The three spent the rest of the day and long into the evening simply enjoying their new found happiness and freedom. They roamed the forest, sometimes at a leisurely walk, sometimes at a pace so swift the trees were a blur as they passed. Ichigo couldn't get enough of how very free and alive he felt while he roamed beside his companions. His jackal form was so light, so swift and agile in ways he never knew were possible.

Eventually they came upon a small lake of crystal clear water. Tall, green grasses grew around it, wild flowers interspersed and bringing brilliant color to the scene. The sun had sunk low along the horizon, but like the animals they took the shape of, neither had trouble seeing in the low lighting. Around them, the forest seemed to grow quiet in a heavy, yet peaceful way. The insects ceased their buzzing and the chirping of birds fell away. The only sounds to remain were the small noises made by Ichigo and his companions as they traversed the area.

The jackal's brows furrowed slightly as he carefully, silently picked his way through the tall plants to the water's edge. His mates hung back, watching in silence as the Summer sat down, the small undulations of the water lapping at his front paws. Ichigo looked out at the clear water, his warm gaze taking on a far away look.

"This is where you brought me." His voice was quiet, a whisper through the grasses around him. He didn't so much remember as he just knew.

"We did." Grimmjow's voice was an equally quiet rumble from somewhere behind, though not far away. He and the wolf gave Ichigo his space, but they remained close enough that the jackal wouldn't think himself alone.

Before taking on the mantle of god of Summer, Ichigo had known the stories, like the rest of the villagers had. After the jackal's death, his mates had taken his body from the street he'd taken his last breath in. The villagers never knew what happened, they never knew if the enormous jackal had been buried, or perhaps he simply disappeared after his soul had left his body. It wasn't something they could just ask about, the gods hadn't been in the talking mood and eventually rumors and ridiculous stories had spread. Some said the jackal had been reborn instantly, but had chosen not to rejoin his grieving mates so that they continued to punish the people for allowing the jackal to die. Others said that the wolf and the jaguar had broke the moment he'd taken his last breath and consumed their mate's body in their anger and despair.

But now Ichigo knew. His previous body had been brought back to the forest of their birth, their home. He'd been interred into the clean, crisp water and given back to Mother Spring so that he'd be given the chance to find another carrier to accept his soul.

"It's beautiful here." Ichigo cast his gaze around the small lake. The water's surface was smooth and unbroken but life surrounded it. Beautiful plants blossomed to life and wild orchids added a calming scent. Looking a bit closer to shore and more toward his feet, the jackal smiled softly as a few small fish swam lazy patterns along the white sand of the bottom.

"It's been like this since you were taken from us." Grimmjow told him. "It's timeless and unchanging."

"It was the only place ta stay beautiful an' alive in our grief." Shirosaki added, his distorted voice taking on an almost guilty tone. "The only place we didn' kill off an' destroy."

Ichigo looked out over the water for a few more moments, at the trees growing on the other side and the few animals that hovered near the bank. The few wild creatures around them seemed to realize they were nothing to fear, even though they took they guises of dangerous and deadly predators. The forest and her creatures had nothing to fear from the gods any longer. After a few minutes, he turned back to the other two gods with a small smile adorning his elegant, canine features and his expressive eyes soft.

"It's fine now." He said quietly. "All that's over... The forest is already alive once more, and the village will survive and prosper again."

Walking up to the wolf and the jaguar, Ichigo slid his muzzle along the underside of Grimmjow's jaw, then turned to Shirosaki with a small, tender lick. "Now it's our turn to heal. We don't have to hurt anymore..."

Ichigo quietly lowered himself to the ground, the tall grasses making a soft bed around and under him. Looking up at his mates, he bid them to join him without word. They did so, laying around him as the last rays of the sun's light fell below the horizon. Shirosaki spread out on his side, wrapped around behind Ichigo so that his head rested over the jackal's crossed paws while Grimmjow curled up feline like in front of him, his large body curled tightly enough that fit snug against Ichigo's front. Between them, the jackal smiled and closed his eyes as he rested his chin on the jaguar's muscled shoulder, his tail thumping quietly against the soft grasses in a slow, happy motion.

"You wont leave us again?" Grimmjow's deep voice was a quiet rumble, like thunder in the distance, his intense eyes nearly glowing in the dark as they cornered to look at Ichigo over his shoulder.

Ichigo smiled and shook his head slightly where it rested on the big cat before opening his eyes to look back at his mate.

"Ya promise? No' ever?" Shiro whispered just as quietly in the dark.

The jackal's tail swayed slowly, gently but he otherwise remained unmoving as he spoke, his words a promise that helped to set the other two at ease and finally allowed them to rest, both in mind and body. "Never again."

The gods, all three of them, slept soundly that night. The Winter wolf and Autumn jaguar didn't wander the forest, nor the streets of the village with the cover of dark. They didn't lash out and bring storms to the otherwise pleasant season or spend their restless hours searching. They didn't allow for their harsher seasons to overcome and swallow the warmth that surrounded the village and the forest. For the first time in generations, they were at peace enough to sleep through the night, unplagued by visions and memories of watching their mate die before them at the hands of a heartless man.

It was also the first time in memory Ichigo had felt so rested when he finally woke up. Snug and warm between the two, he yawned and stretched his arms out above himself, rolling onto his back and feeling the soft grasses below him. The late morning sun filtered through the branches over head, dappling him in a blanket of glowing light and relaxing warmth. The air was warm with the season, but not stifling so, nor heavy and thick despite the body of water nearby.

With the Summer's shifting of position as he stretched, Shirosaki let out a small, sleepy groan of protest. On Ichigo's other side, Grimmjow seemed to agree even in his sleep and rolled over to throw an arm across Ichigo's middle, holding him in place.

Ichigo smirked and lowered his arms again, resting his hand across the smooth, sleep warmed skin of Grimmjow's muscled forearm. Shirosaki wiggled about a bit, pushing his lean body as close to Ichigo as he could get. Content to fall back asleep in the comfort of his two companions, it took Ichigo a moment to realize that it wasn't silky fur below his fingers or pressed against either side.

A frown crossing his features, Ichigo tentatively let his fingertips wander, feeling the relaxed but powerful muscle that sat below smooth flesh. When he got to Grimmjow's body, felt his shoulder blade and the muscle of his back, Ichigo froze up. Beside him, the Autumn grumbled in his sleep for him to quit moving around. Brown eyes snapped open, wide with surprise and a bit of confusion.

He bolted into a sitting position, patting at his bare chest and looking down at himself, realizing he was back in his human body. Slowly, he turned to look at the man laying beside him. A man with golden skin stretched out at his side, his muscled body bare and relaxed where he lay. Dappled sunlight highlighted the dips and curves of strong, angular features, a straight nose, strong jawline and well defined cheek bones. As he stared, stunned and at a loss, the man stretched before the muscle of his arm flexed, tightening around Ichigo's lithe waist.

Nearly choking in his astonishment, the young man quickly swung his head in the opposite direction to find a similar surprise, but in a very different package. The man to his left was smaller than the first, his body leaner and less heavily muscled. Smooth, flawless skin so pale it seemed white like the frost that clung to a window during the winter stretched over a thin but not unhealthy frame. Long, flowing white hair clung around the man's narrow shoulders and hid part of his startling features. In his sleep, the pale man curled his lip in protest to Ichigo's movement, flashing large, sharpened canines in an expression the jackal would never forget.

It took Ichigo several moments to react, to push his astonishment aside enough for his mind to catch up, but when he did, an enormous smile stretched across his features and his wide brown eyes began to tear up slightly even as a hint of color rose in his cheeks. He laughed and shook the two that lay beside him in an effort awaken them, startling them in the process.

Grimmjow awoke with a protective snarl rumbling in his muscled chest, sounding no different and no less threatening than when he had been in a massive feline body. His sharp blue eyes darted over the surrounding area as he jolted upright, looking for whatever threat may have been lurking about and the reason he'd been awakened so suddenly.

Shirosaki's reaction was similar and as Ichigo climbed to his feet with easy motions, backing up a few paces so that he could fully take in the other two, the pale creature attempted the same as his inverted, gold on black eyes landed on their newly returned mate.

"Wha? Ya alright? Wha' happened?" He cast his vision around the forest but as he spun a circle to look behind himself, he stumbled, unused to the way his human body worked after having four legs for so long. Landing back on the ground with a small grunt, he looked up in confusion. He looked to Grimmjow only to see that the Autumn stared at him with wide eyes and a shocked expression on his very human features.

The Winter's features took on nearly the same expression as he looked down at himself, then back to his mate before both turned their bewildered gazes to the jackal. Ichigo laughed in joy and amusement, hardly able to believe what he was seeing. Even with the jackal's memories of the two, with his memories of them in the forms they now sat in, Ichigo could never have been prepared for the change. They were stunning, they were amazing and so perfect in Ichigo's eyes.

"We-we're..." Grimmjow's deep, rumbling voice caressed the air with no less power than it had in his jaguar form. It was growling and rough, like ocean waves against rock, but it also carried a disbelieving tone.

Ichigo nodded as he neared the two again, lowering himself to sit before them. A wide, wicked grin slashed pale features, a nearly matching smirk slow erupting across Grimmjow's handsome face as well.

"I didn't think we'd ever be able to shift again." The jaguar, now a man, said in a quiet voice.

"When I reawakened, I guess what had been lost in you two also reawakened." Ichigo said, his eyes going from one to the other and back again. With the rebirth of the Summer, so too had the Autumn and Winter been reborn in a sense. All that had been wronged and all that had been thrown out of balance was allowed to realign.

The seasons cycled again as they were always meant to, the warmer of the seasons rich and life-giving. Crops grew and life flourished. When summer finally gave way to fall, the Autumn took control and the forest and the village it surrounded cooled at a calm pace. The leaves took on bright and beautiful colors as the rain cooled to match the telling chill that ran through the air. The jaguar led the way as he and his mates happily ran at the front of the storms his season brought and enjoyed the slowly dying leaves as they fell to the ground. The storms the ever powerful god brought weren't like they were in the past, they didn't bring the dread and the fear they had carried before, even as lighting lit up the night sky.

When Winter took over, the chilled wind howled through the streets and between the trees with the wolf's hollow, frigid voice as he lifted his muzzle to the heavens. Snow blanketed the earth in a frosty coating, wiping away the decay brought on by the fall so that the earth would be left bare to begin anew with the spring. But still, the Winter and his deadly season didn't hold the malevolent, angry killing intent that had been present before. More live stock survived than in generations past and the snow ceased falling before it buried the village.

As the days warmed again, Mother Spring was allowed to bring all back to life. Flowers bloomed and grew, birds sang and breeze smelled of life and fresh growth. She thawed the frozen soil quicker than before, allowing for new crops to be planted and allowing the soil to grow rich. She smiled at her children, all three very much alive, as the sun chased away the clouds and the chill that the Winter and Autumn had brought.

And when it was time for her to pass over control to her reborn child, Ichigo stepped up, a happy smile on his features as he closed his eyes in bliss and lifted his face into the warm breeze and felt it race through his golden fur. Around him, the forest teamed with life and the sun above shone brighter than it had in generations.

When finally he turned away from the warm wind, he stepped through the trees and headed back toward the warm lake he and his mates had decided to settle around. As he went, his long, slender form began to shift. Golden fur gave way to sun tanned, smooth skin that stretched over wiry, lithe muscle. His orange mane of hair was ruffled by the gentle breeze and his brown eyes were deep and wise, bright and as alive as his season.

His smile only grew as two men came into view. Though still a bit unsteady on two legs, they were no less graceful and powerful than the animals they normally took the form of as they neared Ichigo. Blue eyes were intense and piercing, reflecting and seeming to amplify the summer sun. At the Autumn's side, the wolf's gold on black eyes were just as commanding as both men saw only Ichigo.

The jackal laughed as the two un-hesitantly neared him to wrap him in strong embraces. Pale arms were almost chilly where they wrapped around his middle as Shirosaki pressed himself against Ichigo's back, but the slight, barely their chill was welcomed in the summer heat as full, pink lips captured his own from where Grimmjow was molded to his front. Ichigo lowered one hand, reaching backward slightly, to let it settle along the winter god's bare hip as his other hand came up and tangled in chaotic, blue strands. Almost instantly, a deep, happy rumble reverberated from Grimmjow's chest, bringing a smirk and chuckle from the pale man at the jackal's back.

"Over grown house cat." Shirosaki chuckled in his lilting, wintery voice, his breath like a cool breeze along the back of Ichigo's neck. A shiver worked up the more colorful man's spine and Ichigo broke his kiss with Grimmjow, looking up into bright cyan with a small laugh of his own.

The bigger of the three rolled those impossibly blue orbs but smirked anyway and didn't bother to quiet his deep, pleased rumble. "Mutt." He mumbled affectionately as he leaned against Ichigo so that he could nuzzle white hair over Ichigo's shoulder. Shiro snorted a laugh but huffed a happy breath as he leaned into Grimmjow's attention.

Between them, Ichigo laughed as he enjoyed the closeness of their proximity and their strong bodies as they pressed against his own.

"You know what today is?" Grimmjow asked, his deep voice a match to far off thunder in the season he was created to control as he pulled back slightly so that he could look down at the Summer.

"Of course, how could I not?" Ichigo smirked, feeling the change of season sing through his very being as his spirt soared high. All three felt as spring gave way to summer, but none more so that the jackal himself. Just as they did on the first day of every season, they would appear in the village to celebrate with the people they were worshiped by, but with his own season, Ichigo had something special in mind.

"We better get goin' since ya wanna visit yer human family b'fore the festival." Shirosaki gave the man he'd wrapped himself around one last nuzzle as he pulled away, letting his black nailed fingers trail lightly tanned flesh as he rounded Ichigo to stand beside him.

Grimmjow also pulled away, his purr finally quieting as he took up a place at Ichigo's other side. Together, the three gods took their time as they traversed the forest. They weren't in a hurry, nor did they mind the walk through their beautiful surroundings. It didn't particularly matter which direction they went, for the forest they wandered was the very first, the one that Mother Spring had created just for her children and it bowed to the whims of the gods in it's depths. After only a few moments spent in the quiet, pleasurable company of each other, the three neared the tree line and looked out over the land that Ichigo had grown up on.

"Father!" Ichigo was the first to show himself as he stepped through the tree line, a wide smile on his handsome features.

Isshin looked up and turned, a wide grin splitting his scruffy face as well. "Ichigo, son!" He greeted back, setting aside what he'd been doing before the unexpected but welcomed visit.

His boy, now a young man and much more, stood at the forest's edge. He'd grown more since the celebration at the beginning of last summer that had been thrown in his honor, a year ago now. Even standing before Isshin in his human form, the form Isshin hadn't seen his boy in since that last summer's season when Ichigo had accepted the lost jackal's soul, his body was lean and wiry, sturdy and accustomed to the running and wandering he did all day with his mates. Shirtless and barefoot, Isshin could tell the young man was a bit darker skinned than when last he'd seen him. The pants he wore were the same he'd left in and though they looked as if Ichigo had attempted to clean them up a bit before coming, they'd still seen better days.

Isshin chuckled and shook his head slightly, not quite willing to put too much thought into the clothing issue. It hadn't really dawned on him before then, since he'd only seen Ichigo and handful of times in the past year, at the beginning of each season, and only ever in his jackal form when he'd come to the village with the wolf and the jaguar. Pushing the thought aside, he beckoned for his boy to join him where he stood behind the house.

Ichigo's smile grew even wider as he held his hands out to his sides, palms facing back toward the tree line. He shook his head, telling his father he wasn't ready to join him just yet. "I have something to show you."

The happy expression didn't leave the older man's features, but a look of puzzlement flashed in his dark eyes. As Isshin watched his son, two men carefully stepped from the forest's edge, one on either side of his boy. They took Ichigo's hands as they came up beside him, walking a bit awkwardly and unsteadily. Both were bare but stood in a way that made it seem their nudity didn't bother them, like it was natural and something they hardly noticed. One stood taller and more heavily muscled than Ichigo, his complexion a sun-kissed golden tan while the other matched his son in stature, his skin so pale it resembled snow and was a wonder he could stand in the sun at all. The first had chaotic blue hair that ever looked as though it was tussled by a cooling breeze. The second's hair was long and wild, avalanching down his back and passed his shoulders and just as colorless as the man himself. But their eyes were the same; one set of chilled and piercing blue while the other was of burning gold and frosty black.

Isshin's own eyes slowly widened as he took the two men in, his son standing comfortably between them. "Are they...?"

Ichigo nodded as they began to make their way to where his father stood. Their pace was measured, not exactly slow but not hurried either. It was clear the two gods flanking the reborn jackal were still growing used to their human forms again after so many years of not being able to change from their animal bodies.

"This is Grimmjow and Shirosaki." Ichigo said happily. "I thought you'd like to see them again now that they can shift forms."

Isshin laughed, amazed and stunned as he looked them over. They stood proud and confident under his inquisitive gaze, their backs straight and not a trace of nervousness to be found. Nor was there evidence that they had ever been so utterly broken and lost. Nothing of their time of heartbreak showed in their stances or in their eyes. They didn't look like mindless, grief-stricken creatures, they looked whole, healthy. They looked happy.

"This is... This is incredible, boys, come inside." Isshin finally found his voice passed his surprise. He turned toward the back door, opening it and holding it for the three of them. "Yuzu was just cooking your favorite dish for the festival, Ichigo."

Ichigo hummed an appreciative sound at the prospect of his sister's wonderful cooking before Shiro's quiet voice caught his attention.

"Boys?" Shirosaki's lilting voice sounded just as wintery as ever, though it held a curious and confused tone, edging on offense. "We've lived fer hundreds of thousands of human years..."

Ichigo chuckled quietly and squeezed the chilled, pale fingers that tangled with his own. "Don't take it so literally." He told his pale mate. "It's his way of including you in the family."

"Oh." A small grin tugged at the winter god's colorless lips.

On Ichigo's other side, Grimmjow smirked and glanced over the jackal to the Winter, his blue eyes bright and alive, before he leaned down and nuzzled fondly at Ichigo's orange mane.

Ichigo's laughter was warm and happy as they three entered the house Ichigo had grown up in. It was the happiest Isshin had ever seen him.

* * *

**I have to admit, it feels pretty good to knock a couple of stories off my incomplete list XD **

**anyway, let me know what you thought please!  
**


End file.
